FX.co ★ Korean Stocks Rebound on Tariff Reduction

The KOSPI index climbed by 1.56% to approximately 3,980 on Tuesday, recovering from a two-day decline as investor confidence was bolstered by renewed collaboration between Seoul and Washington. Following the APEC summit, the United States announced a reduction in certain tariffs within their bilateral agreement, which includes lowering automobile tariffs from 25% to 15%, alongside adjustments in aircraft-parts tariffs and reciprocal trade terms. Economically, the annual inflation rate held steady at 2.4% in November 2025, maintaining its peak since July 2024. This latest figure surpassed the Bank of Korea's 2% target for the third straight month, leading the central bank to adopt a cautious approach to monetary policy. The primary drivers of the upward trend were the automotive and semiconductor industries, with notable gains from Hyundai Motor (4.52%), Kia Corporation (3.21%), SK Hynix (3.16%), and Samsung Electronics (1.59%).