South Korean shares fall over 5% on AI spending concerns and oil spike

South Korean benchmark KOSPI fell 5.44 percent, losing 386.33 points to 6,710.56, triggering a sidecar trading curb. The decline was driven by concerns over AI spending payoffs after overnight losses in Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon, compounded by Brent crude climbing back above 100 dollars per barrel on Middle East tensions. Samsung Electronics dropped 7.22 percent, SK Hynix fell 6.83 percent, and LG Energy Solution slid 5.46 percent, with foreigners net sellers of 1.63 trillion won.