Woofun AI reports that South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index triggered a sell-side sidecar for the second consecutive trading day on Thursday. This circuit breaker mechanism automatically suspended program sell orders in the final minutes of trading after the index fell more than 3% from the previous close. The five-minute halt permits only buy orders and non-program sell orders, aiming to curb excessive volatility. The Korea Exchange (KRX) activates this measure separately for KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets. Thursday’s event followed a similar trigger on Wednesday, a rare occurrence highlighting the intensity of the current selloff. The decline is attributed to global factors such as U.S. interest rate concerns and geopolitical uncertainties, alongside domestic weak export data and profit-taking in technology stocks. Foreign investors have been net sellers, while algorithmic trading has dominated market direction. Although the sidecar provides a brief cooling-off period, it does not prevent further declines once lifted, suggesting potential structural correction rather than short-term fluctuation.