South Korean stocks ended sharply lower on Aug 28, with the Kospi plunging 123.49 points, or 1.79%, to 6,788.88 as investors dumped technology heavyweights amid renewed concerns over US trade policy and geopolitical uncertainty.
Yonhap reported that the decline snapped a three-day winning streak, with sentiment pressured by reports that Washington is considering a fresh round of tariffs on semiconductors.
Investors were also cautious after the Trump administration said the US and Iran are not currently in talks to end the war, adding to broader external risks.
The combination of potential semiconductor tariffs and persistent geopolitical uncertainty triggered selling in major technology counters and weighed heavily on the benchmark.
Meanwhile, the South Korean won strengthened against the US dollar, gaining 8.4 won to trade at 1,372.5 won per dollar as of 3.30pm on Aug 28.
