Foreign exchange reserves · South Korea
South Korea Foreign Exchange Reserves
The South Korea Foreign Exchange Reserves is the value of the foreign currencies, gold and other reserve assets held by the Bank of Korea.
- Importance
- Low
- Released
- Monthly
- Next release
- Currency
- KRW · South Korean won
- Central bank
- The Bank of Korea
Latest figures
The latest release for SEP, published on 5 October 2026, came in at $440.56B.
| Released | For | Actual | Consensus | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 2026 | SEP | $440.56B | – | $442.28B |
| 2 Sep 2026 | AUG | $442.28B | – | $427.95B ® |
| 4 Aug 2026 | JUL | $427.9B | – | $427.4B ® |
| 2 Jul 2026 | JUN | $427.4B | – | $427B ® |
| 3 Jun 2026 | MAY | $427B | – | $427.88B |
| 6 May 2026 | APR | $427.88B | – | $423.66B |
| 2 Apr 2026 | MAR | $423.66B | – | $427.62B |
| 4 Mar 2026 | FEB | $427.62B | – | $425.91B |
| 3 Feb 2026 | JAN | $425.91B | – | $428.05B |
| 5 Jan 2026 | DEC | $428.05B | – | $430.66B |
| 2 Dec 2025 | NOV | $430.66B | – | $428.82B |
| 4 Nov 2025 | OCT | $428.82B | – | $422.02B |
Why it matters
Reserves are the war chest a central bank uses to defend its currency. Falling reserves can mean the bank is selling foreign currency to support the South Korean won; rising reserves can mean it is buying to hold it down. For pegged and emerging-market currencies they are a key measure of resilience.
How it is calculated
The central bank values its holdings at market prices and exchange rates at the end of the period; changes therefore include valuation effects as well as purchases and sales.
What changes mean
- A large unexpected drop may signal intervention to support the currency.
- A rise driven only by a weaker dollar (valuation) says little about policy.
- Compare with months of imports covered: three months is a common minimum for emerging markets.
A short history
The modern reserve system grew out of Bretton Woods (1944); after the Asian crisis of 1997–98 many emerging economies built large reserves to avoid running out of foreign currency again.
Questions
What is the South Korea Foreign Exchange Reserves?
The South Korea Foreign Exchange Reserves is the value of the foreign currencies, gold and other reserve assets held by the Bank of Korea.
What was the latest South Korea Foreign Exchange Reserves?
$440.56B for SEP, published on 5 October 2026.
When is the next South Korea Foreign Exchange Reserves?
On Tuesday 3 November 2026 at 21:00 UTC.
Educational content only, not investment advice. Figures are the published results as recorded by our calendar; market reactions described are typical, not guaranteed.