Korean Stocks Plunge as Kospi Halts Trading in Tech-Led Selloff

South Korea’s Kospi plunged more than 12% intraday, triggering a circuit breaker on the Kospi and halting trading, as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix slumped and the market pulled back from a strong run last year. The weakness coincored with a broader regional selloff amid Middle East tensions and higher oil costs, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell about 3.9% and other Asian indices declined. Investors were also watching China’s Two Sessions and noting gains in gold and oil, underscoring a risk-off mood as energy costs and AI data-center considerations weigh sentiment.