Seoul: Won ends firmer, helped by Park's appeal for exit strategy

[SEOUL] The South Korean won ended stronger as President Park Geun Hye appealed to parliament on Tuesday to find a way for her to step down amid an influence-peddling scandal that has eroded confidence in her leadership.

The third straight day of gains for the won also reflected a lull in the dollar's month-long advance.

By the close of onshore trade, the won stood at 1,168.5 per US dollar, up 0.2 per cent from Monday's close.

While Ms Park's request to parliament to help find her an exit was seen as a step toward resolving a political crisis that has rumbled on for weeks, analysts still expected the issue to drag on, giving little chance for the won to make longer term gains.

South Korean shares ended flat, with the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) closing up 0.01 per cent at 1,978.39 points.

REUTERS