South Korean shares fall more than 3% on profit taking; Samsung strike in focus

LG Energy Solution

19/05/2026 07:52

KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers

Korean won weakens against dollar

South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

For the midday report, please click nL1N41W01N

SEOUL, May 19 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares fell more than 3% on Tuesday, as overnight losses in U.S. chip stocks triggered investors to book profits from a recent chipmaker-driven rally, while their focus was also on Samsung Electronics' pay talks.

** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed down 244.38 points, or 3.25%, at 7,271.66.

** "Sharp losses in U.S. semiconductor stocks exerted downward pressure on the domestic chip sector, resulting in weakness across the overall market," said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities.

** Chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS ended down 1.96%, after briefly turning higher during the session on news regarding the development around its wage negotiations with its South Korean union.

** The two sides have narrowed some differences, a mediator in their talks said on Tuesday, as pressure mounted from the government and business groups to avert an imminent and damaging lengthy strike.

** Peer chipmaker SK Hynix 000660.KS lost 5.16%.

** Among other index heavyweights, battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS slid 1.96%, while Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were down 8.90% and 4.68%, respectively.

** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS shed 4.86%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS fell 2.89%.

** Of the total 910 traded issues, 179 shares advanced, while 708 declined.

** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 6.3 trillion won ($4.18 billion).

** The won was quoted at 1,507.8 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.99% lower than its previous close at 1,492.9. It touched its weakest level since April 7.

** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 were unchanged at 103.16.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose by 0.4 basis point to 3.769%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell by 0.5 bp to 4.226%.

($1 = 1,505.9000 won)

(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)

((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))