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  South Korean stocks roar back, up 12% on opening bell SEOUL, March 5 (AJP) – An epic rebound followed an epic downfall for South Korean shares as they opened Thursday 12 percent, instantly erasing the largest-ever collapse of the same scale a day earlier. As of 9:23 a.m., the benchmark KOSPI soared 11.5 percent to 5,684.53, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ climbed 11.45 percent to 1,090.52. After two consecutive sessions that triggered sell-side sidecars, the opposite sidecar — on the buy side — was activated shortly aft March 5, 2026
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  Korea's FX reserves rise in Feb on debt issue amid war-time volatility SEOUL, Mar 05 (AJP) - South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves increased for the first time in three months in February, helped by a $3 billion overseas debt issuance aimed at bolstering ammunition to stabilize the Korean won against major currencies. However, questions remain over how long the increase can be sustained, with the local currency hovering near crisis-era levels in the war aftermath. Foreign reserves rose $1.72 billion from the previous month to $427.67 billion March 5, 2026
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  Asian markets in second rout while Seoul bourses suffer worst collapse SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - The spiraling war in the Middle East sent shockwaves across Asian markets Wednesday, triggering a historic collapse on the Seoul bourse. Global energy markets remained volatile as tensions centered on the Strait of Hormuz — a critical artery for global oil shipments — fueled fears of supply disruptions and renewed inflation pressure. The narrow waterway carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne crude and serves as a key route for ene March 4, 2026
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  Cheongung-II's maker survives worst-ever rout in Seoul as it debuts on Iranian borders SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - The bombshell from the 2026 Middle East conflict has flown to Seoul and crashed the party in a big way — sending the benchmark KOSPI plunging a record 12 percent and the KOSDAQ 14 percent. One stock, however, defied the sweeping rout: LIG Nex1, the maker of the Cheongung-II. The sudden spotlight came after the missile defense system reportedly saw its first real combat use intercepting Iranian missiles over the Gulf, a development that instantly thru March 4, 2026
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  BOK issues verbal intervention amid near-4% slide in won since war outbreak SEOUL, Mar 04 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) issued a verbal intervention Wednesday, pledging a “timely” response after the Korean won briefly touched crisis-era levels around 1,500 per U.S. dollar amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and rising oil concerns. The warning came after the dollar in the offshore market climbed above the 1,500-won mark overnight — the first time since March 2007 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. BOK Governor March 4, 2026
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  Asian markets tank; Seoul plunges more than 8% as won hovers near crisis-era levels SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - Asian markets tumbled Wednesday as escalating tensions in the Middle East rattled investors, with Seoul stocks plunging more than 8 percent and the Korean won sliding to near crisis-era levels. A pledge by the United States to provide security escorts and insurance guarantees for tankers navigating the Strait of Hormuz did little to reassure investors. Markets across the region remain highly sensitive to the waterway, through which a large share of Middle E March 4, 2026
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  Middle East turmoil pounds Korean stocks and won for second session SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - South Korean shares extended their downward spiral in the aftermath of the Middle East crisis, losing more than 5 percent at the opening bell Wednesday following Tuesday’s rout. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI tumbled 6.09 percent to 5,444.51 on panicky retail selling after a 7.24 percent plunge in the previous session. The retreat later eased to around 3 percent by about 9:20 a.m., as foreign and local institutional investors moved to scoop up la March 4, 2026
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  Middle East Crisis: Brewing oil shock sparks tantrum across Seoul markets SEOUL, Mar 03 (AJP) - Oil supply disruption following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz — the critical artery through which most Middle Eastern crude flows to Asia — is raising fears of another wave of currency volatility and fuel-driven inflation, analysts warned. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared the waterway shut, threatening to “set on fire” vessels entering waters bordering Iran. The strait handles roughly 20 percent of global oil supplies a March 3, 2026
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  Middle East Crisis: Is Seoul's market binge over — or will it survive? SEOUL, March 03 (AJP) — Is the two-year bull run in Seoul finally running out of steam, or will the market once again absorb an oil shock and move on? Tuesday’s verdict was brutal. The KOSPI plunged 7.24 percent to 5,791.91, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ fell 4.62 percent to 1,137.70 — one of the sharpest single-day routs in recent memory. History offers some comfort. In six major Middle East military crises since 2000, the KOSPI was March 3, 2026
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  KOSPI rolls back seven days along with sliding Asian markets SEOUL, March 03 (AJP) - Asian markets extended losses while Korean market took the biggest fall Tuesday as rising tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran pushed oil prices higher and kept regional risk sentiment fragile. Brent crude climbed to $80.35 per barrel, up from $77.7 a day ago, as concerns grew over potential disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for global energy shipments. The waterway accounts for roughly one-fifth of global seaborne cr March 3, 2026