ROK - Sept 14, 2026 (CCTV Video News Agency - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Graphic showing changes of KOSPI, KOSDAQ

FILE: Seoul, ROK - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Various of sign of Korea Exchange
3. Various of staff members working

FILE: ROK - Date Unknown (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Samsung flag
5. People entering Samsung building
6. Various of SK Hynix building, sign

FILE: Seoul, ROK - April 2, 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
7. Various of traffic, pedestrians, national flags of ROK

The stocks of the Republic of Korea (ROK) closed lower on Monday with sharp drops of tech stocks following U.S. top executives' calls for an AI slowdown and the inflation worry due to rising international oil prices being two of the most significant contributors.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) dropped 225.54 points, or 3.26 percent, to close at 6,684.37, and the tech-heavy KOSDAQ Index lost 13.85 points, or 1.69 percent, to finish at 806.79 points.

The calls by top executives of major U.S. AI developers to slow the pace of AI development triggered selling of related shares on ROK markets.

Chipmaker SK Hynix and tech giant Samsung Electronics led the slide, with their share prices falling over 4 percent on Monday.