South Korean stocks opened sharply lower Tuesday, following overnight Wall Street losses spurred by US President Donald Trump's renewed tariff threats.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 1.08 points, or 0.04 percent, to 2,562.40 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Overnight, US stock markets plummeted after Trump shared in an interview with Fox News his intent to push forward with high tariff policies.
The S&P 500 dipped 2.7 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 2.08 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq plunged 4 percent.
In Seoul, major shares lost ground.
Market heavyweight Samsung Electronics dropped 1.3 percent, and chip rival SK hynix plummeted 2.98 percent.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia shed 1.01 percent and 0.71 percent, respectively. Leading battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution retreated 2.98 percent.
Defense equipment and steel shares also lost ground, with Hanwha Aerospace falling 2.14 percent and Posco holdings down 3.86 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,459.3 won against the US dollar at 9:15 a.m., down 7 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)
herald@heraldcorp.com
