韩国央行行长称对韩元大幅贬值感到困惑，呼吁养老基金进行外汇对冲操作

Core Viewpoint - The Governor of the Bank of Korea, Lee Chang-yong, expressed concerns that the depreciation of the Korean won has exceeded reasonable limits and may impact inflation [1][3]. Exchange Rate Dynamics - The Korean won has been fluctuating around the psychologically significant level of 1450 won per dollar, recently dropping to a low of 1480 won due to a strong dollar, geopolitical risks, and local investors heavily investing in overseas securities [1][3]. - To address the increased volatility in the exchange rate, South Korean authorities have issued strong verbal warnings and implemented various policy measures, helping the won recover to above 1430 won [1][3]. Supply and Demand Factors - Lee attributed the sharp decline of the won to a "supply and demand" phenomenon, noting that despite strong exports leading to significant dollar inflows, market participants are reluctant to sell dollars in the spot market [1][3]. - The scale of overseas investments by the National Pension Service (NPS) is substantial relative to the size of the Korean foreign exchange market, reinforcing expectations of further depreciation of the won and encouraging individual investors to invest more overseas [1][3]. NPS Investment Strategy - Lee criticized the NPS's current foreign exchange hedging target of zero as unreasonable, suggesting that the hedging ratio needs to be increased [2][4]. - He welcomed the NPS's recent decision to halve its overseas investment plan for the year, which is expected to reduce dollar demand by at least 20 billion dollars [2][5]. Inflation and Economic Outlook - If the won remains in the 1470-1480 won per dollar range for an extended period, the Bank of Korea may need to revise its inflation expectations upward, although the inflation rate is projected to remain around 2% for the year [2][5]. - The main growth drivers for South Korea this year are expected to be exports of semiconductors, defense products, automobiles, and ships, with a strong momentum in chip and artificial intelligence (AI)-related exports [2][5].