FX.co ★ South Korean Shares Drop on Profit-Taking

The benchmark KOSPI fell 0.28% to close at 5,507 on Friday, retreating from record highs as profit-taking and broad-based sector weakness dragged the index lower. Major decliners included SK Hynix (-0.79%), Hyundai Motor (-1.28%), LG Energy Solution (-3.54%), Hanwha Aerospace (-2.65%), and KB Financial Group (-1.96%), while Samsung Electronics (+0.90%) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (+1.11%) advanced. Global risk appetite softened after major US indices ended lower overnight, as investors reassessed the earnings outlook for hardware producers amid rising memory chip prices and potential disruptions tied to the rapid expansion of AI services. Adding to the downward pressure, foreign investors turned net sellers of South Korean equities in January, offloading KRW 98 billion after having been net buyers of KRW 1.52 trillion in December.