(Bloomberg) -- The South Korean won, under pressure for most of the year, faces an emerging obstacle: dividend payouts from Samsung Electronics Co.

The nation’s biggest company is scheduled to distribute 2.5 trillion won ($1.8 billion) of dividends on Wednesday. More than half will be paid to overseas investors, who hold about 52% of the ordinary shares, according to Korean stock exchange data. 

The dividend payout comes at a critical time for the won, which is already facing challenges from rising US yields, continuous equity market outflows and Donald Trump’s tariff threat. The currency tumbled to a two-year low to 1,410.70 per greenback last week, before paring some losses.

“The dividend issue may affect the demand-supply environment and pressure the won downwards on the day of its payment,” said Moon Dawoon, economist at Korea Investment & Securities Co. 

Min Gyeong-won, an economist at Woori Bank, said dollar purchases triggered by dividend repatriation are usually observable two days before the payout, but he hasn’t seen many buying orders from foreign clients so far. 

The currency has strengthened recently — rising for a fifth day Tuesday to trade 0.4% higher at 1,391.20 per dollar.

--With assistance from Kyoungho Lee and Jaehyun Eom.

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.