The South Korean won ended the year at one-thousand-439-point-zero per U.S. dollar, finishing lower than a year earlier despite persistent currency volatility.

The annual average exchange rate stood at one-thousand-422-point-16, the highest on record and above levels seen during the 1998 Asian financial crisis.

The closing level was 33-point-five won stronger than a year ago, when political turmoil including martial law and impeachment proceedings weighed heavily on the currency.

This year’s peak was recorded on April 9 at one-thousand-484-point-one, while the lowest point came on June 30 at one-thousand-350-point-zero.

Authorities deployed extensive stabilization measures, including foreign exchange task forces, pension fund hedging and regulatory flexibility, to counter rising dollar demand and capital outflows.

Officials said the recent surge in the exchange rate has eased somewhat, though pressure remains amid ongoing interest rate gaps between South Korea and the United States.