South Korea’s KOSPI Falls 7% as SK Hynix Shares Drop 10%

South Korea’s KOSPI fell 7% as the country’s equity selloff deepened, putting Asian risk sentiment in focus for U.S. markets, crypto readers and investors. The index had opened down more than 5%, and losses later reached 7% in the same session.

SK Hynix shares dropped 10%, while Samsung Electronics fell nearly 8%. The Korea Exchange activated a sidecar mechanism, temporarily pausing programmatic sell orders.

The KOSPI figure measures the index, while the other two percentages refer to individual company shares. The different readings place the broader decline alongside sharper losses in the chipmakers. The exchange’s sidecar action paused programmatic sell orders, meaning automated orders placed through trading systems were temporarily stopped. Together, the figures describe a sharp session across the index and two company stocks, while the exchange measure captures a separate part of market trading. For U.S. crypto and markets readers, the move puts Asian risk sentiment in focus.