The benchmark KOSPI fell 0.5% to around 4,880 on Tuesday, snapping a twelve-day record-setting run, as global risk sentiment deteriorated and profit-taking set in. External pressures intensified after renewed US tariff threats against Europe reignited trade uncertainty, while a surge in Japan’s long-dated government bond yields tightened regional financial conditions, weighing on risk appetite across Asia’s equity markets. The pullback followed the index breaking above the 4,900-point level for the first time. With positioning stretched, investors locked in gains, leaving the index more sensitive to adverse global cues. Losses were concentrated in large-cap chipmakers, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix falling more than 2%, reflecting valuation pressure amid a broader risk-off rotation. Other heavyweights also declined, including Hyundai Motor (-1.9%), Kia Corporation (-3.2%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-1.5%), and SK Square (-2.0%).
