South Korea's KOSPI Drops Below 5,000, Triggers Circuit Breaker Amid Wall Street AI Sell-Off

South Korea's KOSPI index fell below 5,000 on Friday for the first time since February, triggering a 20-minute trading halt after an 8% drop at the open. SK Hynix shares plunged 11.71% to 1,116,000 won, while Samsung Electronics fell nearly 10%. The sell-off followed sharp declines in U.S. chip stocks and the Nasdaq, driven by concerns over AI spending and potential data center restrictions in several U.S. states.