Evidence from credible sources supports the statement as accurate. Learn more in Methodology.
Treasury public statements or transcripts confirm Bessent made these remarks about the won and FX volatility.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s official readout of Secretary Scott Bessent’s January 12, 2026 meeting with South Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun Cheol states that their discussion "addressed the recent depreciation of the Korean won, which the Secretary noted was not in line with Korea’s strong economic fundamentals." The same readout adds that "Secretary Bessent emphasized that excess volatility in the foreign exchange market is undesirable." These sentences directly substantiate the claim that Bessent said the recent depreciation was not in line with Korea’s economic fundamentals and that excess foreign-exchange volatility is undesirable.
Verdict: True, because the official Treasury readout explicitly contains both points attributed to Secretary Bessent, matching the substance of the statement.