[DigitalToday reporter Sangyeop Oh (오상엽)] The KOSPI, which triggered a buy sidecar a day earlier, tumbled more than 4 percent within a day and slipped below the 6,300 level. Foreign investors were net sellers of more than 1.3 trillion won. Losses widened, led by heavyweight semiconductor stocks such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, triggering a sell sidecar.

As of 10:21 a.m. on Aug. 6, the KOSPI is down 307.48 points, or 4.66 percent, from the previous session at 6,290.78. The index opened down 119.51 points, or 1.81 percent, at 6,478.75. It trimmed losses to the 6,500 level during the session, but selling pressure later intensified again and it fell below 6,300.

In the main board market, foreign investors are net sellers of 1.33 trillion won, weighing on the index. Retail investors are net buyers of 1.23 trillion won and institutions are net buyers of 64.4 billion won.

As losses widened, a sell sidecar was triggered at 10:18:12 a.m. in the main board market, halting the effectiveness of program sell orders for 5 minutes.

At the time of the trigger, KOSPI200 futures stood at 987.24, down 52.48 points, or 5.04 percent, from the reference price of 1,039.72. The conditions were met as the futures price stayed down at least 5 percent from the reference price for more than 1 minute.

On Aug. 5, the KOSPI jumped early in the session and a buy sidecar was triggered at 9:24:56 a.m. The direction of the market safety device switched from buying to selling within a day.

Samsung Electronics is trading at 233,250 won, down 5.18 percent from the previous session, while SK Hynix is down 8.93 percent at 1,519,000 won.

Elsewhere, SK Square is down 10.46 percent, Samsung Electro-Mechanics is down 9.88 percent, Samsung Life is down 5.44 percent, Hyundai Motor is down 2.10 percent and Samsung Biologics is down 0.40 percent.

LG Energy Solution and KB Financial Group, meanwhile, are up 0.15 percent and 0.35 percent, respectively.

In the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won-dollar exchange rate stands at 1,417.10 won, down 6.40 won from the previous session. Despite a stronger won, the KOSPI gave up the 6,300 level during the session as foreign selling pressure intensified.