The local currency gained against the U.S. dollar to its strongest level in six-and-a-half months on Thursday amid a wait-and-see attitude surrounding the U.S.-South Korea foreign exchange negotiations. 

The South Korean won gained five-point-nine won against the greenback from the previous day, with Thursday’s Seoul closing spot rate at 3:30 p.m. standing at one-thousand-381-point-three won.

The exchange rate is at its strongest since November 5 of last year, when it was one-thousand-378-point-six won against the greenback.

The won gained strength amid speculation that in its ongoing foreign exchange negotiations with South Korea, the U.S. may request measures to help shore up the won.

The rate had plunged from the one-thousand-380 won range to one-thousand-368-point-nine won against the dollar at one time, shortly after reports came out after the end of trading on Wednesday that the U.S. had asked South Korea to take steps to help shore up the won.