Foreign investors sold more than ₩6 trillion (approximately $4.3 billion) of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shares on South Korea’s stock market during the five sessions from September 14 to 18, while directing funds toward artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure-related companies. Korea Exchange data showed net sales of ₩3.4319 trillion (approximately $2.5 billion) in SK Hynix, ₩2.6356 trillion (approximately $1.9 billion) in Samsung Electronics and ₩554.6 billion (approximately $400.7 million) in Samsung Electronics preferred shares. Monthly net selling in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix reached ₩9.0754 trillion (approximately $6.6 billion). Analysts linked the selling to higher international oil prices and concerns about U.S. monetary tightening after the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate by 0.25 percentage point at the September Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting and signaled possible further tightening. Foreign buying concentrated on fiber-optics, cable, semiconductor equipment and component stocks, led by Daehan Fiber Optics and Gaon Cable, while monthly flows also favored financials, airlines and energy. Brokerages generally viewed the shift as portfolio rebalancing rather than a structural withdrawal from South Korea. Foreign-held shares declined from 11,593,057 on the 1st to 11,509,682 on the 17th, but the ownership ratio rose from 19.70% to 19.80%, while the market-capitalization-based ratio edged up from 39.54% to 39.59%. Analysts remain divided over the memory semiconductor cycle: BNK Investment & Securities cut Samsung Electronics’ target price to ₩270,000 from ₩300,000, while KB Securities and Hanwha Investment & Securities pointed to AI-driven memory and fiber-optic demand. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rose 2.97% and 4.53%, respectively, in early trading on the 18th as U.S. Treasury yields fell below 5% and oil prices paused.