Shares of Korea Electric Power (KEP) plummeted 6.21% on Tuesday, as the South Korean utility company was caught up in a broader selloff of Korean stocks trading in the U.S. market.
The sharp decline in KEP's stock price came after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol unexpectedly declared martial law in the country, citing threats from North Korea and the need to "eradicate despicable pro-North Korean antistate forces." The president's declaration of martial law, which gives sweeping authority to the military over public life, sparked concerns among investors and sparked a flight from Korean assets.
However, just three hours after President Yoon's announcement, the National Assembly swiftly voted to end the martial law, effectively forcing the president to comply with the decision. While the martial law situation was short-lived, the temporary turmoil in South Korea was enough to rattle global markets and send South Korean stocks like KEP tumbling intraday.
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