South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index plummeted more than 8 percent late Tuesday morning, marking a severe continuation of the market's recent volatility.
The sharp decline was driven by a broad-based sell-off in the technology sector, as investors offloaded shares of major tech heavyweights amid heightened fears regarding artificial intelligence investment strategies.
The index opened 5.26 percent lower before accelerating its descent, reflecting deepening anxiety among market participants.
This latest drop extends a period of intense pressure on the Korean market, which saw the KOSPI crash nearly 10 percent earlier in the week, triggering a 20-minute trading halt.
The recurring nature of these declines suggests that the initial shock has evolved into a sustained repricing of risk within the sector.
Selling pressure was particularly acute in semiconductor and AI-related stocks, which have been central to the index's recent performance.