South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index crashed nearly 10% on Tuesday, triggering a 20-minute trading halt as a massive sell-off engulfed the technology sector.
The sharp decline extended the index's drop from recent record levels, marking one of the steepest single-day reversals in recent memory.
Foreign investors were the primary drivers of the rout, dumping major semiconductor shares and other market heavyweights amid aggressive profit-taking.
The selling pressure was broad-based across the tech sector, with circuit breakers activated to pause trading as panic spread through the market.
The collapse comes after Asian equity markets had staged a sharp reversal from record levels earlier in the week.
The sudden shift in sentiment highlights the fragility of the recent rally, particularly in sectors heavily reliant on foreign capital flows.