South Korea's KOSPI Sinks Over 2% as Institutional Selling Intensifies

Key Facts

1The KOSPI index fell by 2.06% to 5,617.28 during morning trading.

2Institutional investors were net sellers of 163.5 billion won.

3Large-cap stocks including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix declined in the 3% range.

The South Korean KOSPI index fell by 2.06% to 5,617.28 during morning trading on October 22, 2026. Chosunbiz reported that institutional investors were net sellers of 163.5 billion won, causing the index to widen its decline after briefly turning higher at the open. Large-cap stocks including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix saw their share prices decline in the 3% range.

SMSN.L closed at $4,174 on October 21, 2026, while SKHY closed at $143.25 on the same date prior to the current selling pressure. The institutional outflow impacted the broader market, with institutions also recording net sales of 49.4 billion won in the KOSDAQ market amid heightened volatility in semiconductor and artificial intelligence shares.

Market participants are looking ahead to key economic releases next week, including South Korea's GDP Growth Rate scheduled for October 26, 2026, followed by the Business Confidence index on October 28, 2026.