Why did Seoul stocks fall sharply at the open on Tuesday?

Investors sold tech heavyweights after AI leaders urged the industry to slow down, while weaker U.S. tech shares and rising Treasury yields also hurt sentiment. The overnight drop on Wall Street added to the pressure.

How much did the KOSPI and the won move in early Tuesday trading?

The KOSPI was down 34.69 points, or 0.52 percent, to 6,649.68 at 9:16 a.m. The won traded at 1,347.5 per dollar, 1.3 won weaker than the previous stock trading session.

Which major Korean stocks were mixed in morning trading?

Samsung Electronics was unchanged, while SK hynix edged up 0.24 percent. Among other large caps, LG Energy Solution, Hyundai Motor, and KB Financial all moved lower.

Stocks dip sharply lower as AI leaders call for industry slow down

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Summary

Seoul stocks opened sharply lower Tuesday as investors sold tech heavyweights after AI leaders called for the industry to slow down. The KOSPI fell 34.69 points, or 0.52 percent, to 6,649.68 as of 9:16 a.m. Wall Street also closed lower overnight, while rising U.S. bond yields and an upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting weighed on sentiment. The won traded at 1,347.5 per dollar, down 1.3 won from the previous session.

Key Facts

The S&P 500 fell 0.48 percent overnight, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq slipped 0.56 percent.
The return on benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasurys reached 5 percent, a level briefly touched in October 2023.
Samsung Electronics was flat, while SK hynix rose 0.24 percent in morning trading.
LG Energy Solution fell 0.71 percent, Hyundai Motor retreated 0.67 percent, and KB Financial shed 1.1 percent.
The U.S. Federal Reserve was set to hold its policy meeting this week.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 15, 2026 9:28 am KST
Updated Sep 15, 2026 9:35 am KST

The benchmark KOSPI is displayed at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Seoul stocks opened sharply lower Tuesday as investors sold off tech heavyweights following calls from artificial intelligence (AI) leaders that the AI industry should slow down.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was down 34.69 points, or 0.52 percent, to 6,649.68 as of 9:16 a.m.

Overnight, stocks in the United States closed lower on a slump in tech stocks, as investors reacted to comments from AI executives that the industry should proceed more cautiously in developing AI to guard against potential risks.

The S&P 500 shed 0.48 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq dipped 0.56 percent.

Rising U.S. bond yields further dampened investor sentiment. The return on benchmark 10-year Treasurys reached a critical threshold of 5 percent, a level briefly touched in October of 2023.

Investors are closely following the upcoming rate decision from the U.S. Federal Reserve, set to hold its policy meeting this week.

In Seoul, market heavyweights were trading mixed.

Top-cap Samsung Electronics was flat while rival SK hynix inched up 0.24 percent.

Battery maker LG Energy Solution slipped 0.71 percent, carmaker Hyundai Motor retreated 0.67 percent, and financial firm KB financial shed 1.1 percent.

The Korean won was trading at 1,347.5 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:16 a.m., down 1.3 won from the close of the previous stock trading session.

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