The falling value of the U.S. dollar may be a nuisance for Korean manufacturers and financial authorities, who want the Korean won to remain weak to maintain an edge in exports.

But it is considered a golden opportunity to dollar buyers such as investors eyeing the U.S. or parents whose children are studying there amid an outlook that the world’s largest economy will recover in the second half of this year.

The number of customers seeking to buy dollars at major private banking centers in Seoul has risen about 40 percent over the past week, according to bank officials.

“Those who have actual demand for the U.S. currency considered this a good chance to send money abroad at a cheap cost,” said an official of the Korea Exchange Bank.

But investors, who had already stocked up on greenbacks in the first quarter to skim profits off the exchange rate, were more hesitant to make further investments immediately, the official added.

The won-dollar exchange rate closed at 1,022.1 won on Tuesday, its lowest close since the global financial crisis, raising speculations that it may even fall below 1,020 won.

But the financial policymakers’ defensive currency intervention pulled the rate up mildly in the latter half of this week. The won strengthened to 1,025.3 won on Thursday.

The won-dollar exchange rate is likely to remain around 1,020 won as the government may keep tabs on the market, according to Samsung Futures.

“It is uncertain whether the rate may fall further in the near future,” said an official of KEB.

“Those who have actual demands should purchase the dollar at a reasonable time, instead of taking chances.”

Analysts also said that the dollar was bound to strengthen on the forecast of a U.S. economic recovery this year.

“The U.S. gross domestic product growth is expected to reach 3 percent in the second half of the year,” said Robert Mellman, chief economist of JP Morgan, in a recent seminar.

He claimed that the U.S. economy would step out of its prolonged sluggishness and grow at an adequate pace.

This may lead many to rush to domestic banks to purchase the U.S. currency en masse before its value rises as the world’s largest economy grows.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)