South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index initially fell about 3% to 3.2% during intraday trading before reversing course to rise more than 1% by the latest update. Samsung Electronics, which was earlier reported down nearly 5%, at one point fell as much as 6.1% before trimming losses after wage negotiations with its largest union failed. SK Hynix, initially reported down nearly 3%, also recovered from early declines. Despite the session’s volatility, SK Hynix remained up more than 100% year to date in 2026, underscoring the broader importance of semiconductor heavyweights in the index’s sharp move and rebound.