South Korean Kospi index falls by more than 5%, Korean won drops to lowest level since financial crisis, tension in Iran escalates.

The South Korean Kospi index fell 5.2% at one point, and the South Korean won also dropped to its lowest level since the global financial crisis. The Iran war entered its fourth week, with no signs of easing, causing fluctuations in US stock index futures and oil prices. Retail investors bought Kospi stocks in the morning, while domestic and foreign funds sold. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix were the biggest drag on the index. Samsung's stock price fell 5.3% at one point, while SK Hynix dropped 6.5%. The South Korean small-cap Kosdaq index fell 3.9% at one point. The MSCI Asia-Pacific index fell 2.1% at one point. The US dollar/South Korean won rose 0.3% at one point, its highest level since March 2009.