The won-dollar exchange rate rose for a third straight session on March 16, tracking international oil prices that have hovered above $100.
In the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won ended daytime trading at 1,497.5 per U.S. dollar at 3:30 p.m., up 3.8 won from the previous session.
The exchange rate opened at 1,501.0, up 7.3 won, then pared gains and briefly turned lower in the morning before rising again.
The close was the highest since Nov. 25, 2008, during the financial crisis, when it was 1,502.3.
It also exceeded the close of 1,495.5 on March 9, when international oil prices first broke above $100.
The exchange rate also topped 1,500 during daytime trading for the first time since March 12, 2009, during the financial crisis, when the intraday high was 1,500.
West Texas Intermediate crude futures briefly rose above $100 a barrel early in the Asian session, then fell to the $96 range during trading, and are currently trading at $99.43.
Ji-young Lee
ljy@d-today.co.kr