Gov't vows to lower barriers for foreign investors with 24-hour FX market

Korea will continue efforts to lower barriers for foreign investors by rolling out measures to enhance the market's attractiveness, including the launch of a 24-hour foreign exchange market, a senior financial official said. Second Vice Finance Minister Huh Chang briefed French investors on Korea's financial and stock markets on Thursday (Paris time) in response to growing interest in Asia's No. 4 economy despite global geopolitical uncertainties, according to the Ministry of Finance and Economy. Major participants for the session included officials from Amundi, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Natixis and Societe Generale. During the event, Huh said Korea's attractiveness as an investment destination has expanded due to its solid financial health coupled with its key position in the global supply chain for the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Huh noted Korea's exports in the January-April period surged 40 percent on-year to $390 billion on the back of the memory supercycle, which led to a 1.7 percent on-year expansion in gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter, the highest