KOSPI Plunges Over 8% as Circuit Breaker Halts Tech Selloff
South Korea’s KOSPI plunged more than 8% and triggered a 20-minute circuit breaker as heavy declines in chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, and Apple’s price hikes, pressured tech shares amid chatter of OpenAI delaying its IPO; the move capped a week of AI-related profit-taking, with the index still up about 90% in 2026 despite the volatility and looming policy risks.