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Foreign net selling of Korean stocks hits record $23.3 billion in March: KRX

Published: 31 Mar. 2026, 18:03

A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the Kospi closing at 5,052.46 points on March 31, down 224.84 points, or 4.26 percent, from the previous trading session. [YONHAP]

Net selling of Korean stocks among foreign investors hit a fresh monthly high this month as the ongoing Iran war fanned risk-averse sentiment, market data showed on Tuesday.

Offshore investors net sold a total of 35.7 trillion won ($23.3 billion) worth of equities in March, according to data from the Korea Exchange, Korea's main bourse operator.

Foreigners were net sellers of local shares for the past nine consecutive sessions, the data showed, weighing on the Kospi, which closed 4.26 percent lower on Tuesday.

In contrast, local retail investors net purchased a total of 32.8 trillion won worth of shares this month, according to the data.

The heavy foreign selling added downward pressure on the won against the dollar, according to market watchers. The local currency fell 14.4 won from the previous session to trade at 1,530.1 won against the greenback on Tuesday, dropping to a 17-year low.

Yonhap