The South Korean won fell to around 1,423 per dollar on Tuesday, slipping from steady levels in the previous session as investors weighed the firm dollar against the ongoing US–Korea trade discussions. The greenback remained supported as markets looked for indications that the prolonged US government shutdown could soon end and as the tone in US–China relations improved ahead of planned high-level meetings later this month in South Korea. Meanwhile, some optimism persisted after US officials reportedly eased their demand that Seoul make its full USD 350 billion investment commitment in cash, signaling progress in the ongoing trade and investment negotiations. Seoul officials had earlier called for financial safeguards such as a currency-swap arrangement, although this has not been part of the latest talks. Looking ahead, investors are awaiting the Bank of Korea’s policy decision on Thursday for cues on interest rate direction and its assessment of external pressures on the won.