Shares crashed Thursday on the Seoul stock exchange after recent gains on renewed worries over a global economic recession. South Korea's won slid sharply against the dollar, reported dpa.
The benchmark Kospi index fell 89.28 points, or 7.6 per cent, to close at 1,092.22.
Declining issues outnumbered advancers 771 to 104.
The main index of the technology-heavy Kosdaq market tumbled 28.89 points to 311.96.
On currency markets, the US dollar was quoted at 1,330.80 Korean won, down 64.8 won from Wednesday's close of 1,266.0 won.