South Korean stocks came under renewed pressure on Thursday, tanking as much as 4.5% (337 points), extending losses for two straight sessions and plunging 9% over the same period. The pullback comes after a stellar run for South Korean equities.
The KOSPI has emerged as the world's top-performing stock index this year, largely driven by the surge in semiconductor stocks linked to the artificial intelligence boom. The benchmark is up 76% so far in 2026.
