Recent sharp foreign selling and semiconductor-specific headwinds have driven the KOSPI from its June 2026 all-time high of 9,385.59 intraday to around 6,035 as of October 13, 2026, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix—representing over half of index market cap—leading a 5.46% single-day drop amid concerns over Chinese competitor CXMT’s planned DDR5 server DRAM launch and doubts about sustained AI capital spending following lower-than-expected OpenAI revenue figures. Elevated U.S. Treasury yields near multi-decade highs, Brent crude above $100, and the completion of major share buybacks have compounded outflows, pushing forward P/E ratios to record lows. Traders see limited scope for a swift recovery to new highs within the remaining window to end-2027 given these structural pressures on memory pricing and Korea’s concentrated exposure, though upcoming U.S. CPI data and HBM4 production ramps represent potential swing factors.