South Korean stocks experienced a sharp decline of over 4% on Tuesday, with the KOSPI index plummeting as investors cashed in on recent gains in chipmaker shares. Major players like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix saw significant drops. This profit-taking, particularly by foreign investors, led to a trading curb being briefly triggered. The won also saw a slight appreciation against the dollar.

South Korea's KOSPI index plunged 8.3% as Samsung and SK Hynix led a semiconductor sell-off, triggering circuit breakers for the third time in 2026.

South Korean stocks experienced a sharp decline of over 4% on Tuesday, with the KOSPI index plummeting as investors cashed in on recent gains in chipmaker shares. Major players…