Seoul FX Market Switches to 24-Hour Trading From July 6; Early-Morning Volume Minimal in First Week

According to Yonhap Infomax, Seoul's FX market officially switched to 24-hour trading from July 6, 2026. Under New York summer time, trading now runs from 6 AM Monday to 6 AM Saturday, extending the previous 9 AM to 2 AM window to continuous operation.

Trading volume during early morning hours remained limited in the first week. Between 2 AM and 6 AM on July 11, only 11 trades were recorded across Seoul Foreign Exchange Intermediary and Korean Funds Intermediary combined. Traders at some institutions reported initial fatigue and sleep disruption as shift-work schedules began, though market participants cautioned it is too early to assess the system's full impact.