Foreign ownership of South Korean shares has fallen to the lowest level in nearly one and a half years, data showed on Sunday. Foreign investors’ holdings of Korean stocks on the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) accounted for 31.96 percent, or 676.43 trillion won ($468.53 billion) as of Thursday. Foreign sell-offs came amid concerns about the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on the South Korean industry and the broader economy. Investors also remained wary of the domestic political situation following now-suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s shocking martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024, as well as weak growth momentum, according to experts. On Friday, the KOSPI rose 0.31 per cent to close at 2,591.05, marking the highest level since October 30, 2024. The data was compiled by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency, and is based on data from the Korean Stock Exchange.
