SEOUL, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's finance ministry said Thursday that it issued foreign exchange stabilization fund bonds worth 1.7 billion U.S. dollars.
One billion dollars of the U.S. dollar-denominated bond with a maturity of five years was issued at a yield of 3.741 percent, a record-low spread of 17 basis points over U.S. Treasury bonds, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The Japanese yen-denominated bonds worth 110 billion yen (700 million U.S. dollars) were sold with four maturities of two years, three years, five years and three months and 10 years at a yield ranging from 1.065 percent to 1.919 percent.
The ministry said the record-low spread indicated an improved assessment of South Korea's economic situation and policy direction among global investors.
The country issued the European currency-denominated bonds worth 1.4 billion euros in the first half.
The foreign exchange stabilization fund bonds are sold to raise the necessary funds to keep the foreign exchange rates stable. ■