The benchmark KOSPI slipped 0.2% to around 5,475 on Monday, extending the previous session’s decline as mounting geopolitical tensions and currency volatility weighed on investor sentiment. Escalating conflict in the Middle East continued to pressure global markets, driving Brent crude oil above $100 per barrel following US strikes on Iranian military targets near the key export hub of Kharg Island. The jump in oil prices intensified concerns over inflation and growth prospects for energy-importing economies such as South Korea.
Currency moves added to the unease, with the Korean won briefly weakening beyond 1,500 per dollar for the first time since 2009 before paring losses—a sign of lingering pressure from the oil shock and broader risk-off flows in global markets. Still, major semiconductor names offered some support to the index, as Samsung Electronics rose 1.4% and SK hynix gained 3.5% on sustained demand for artificial-intelligence-related memory chips.
