Seoul shares open sharply lower amid persistent AI woes, rising oil prices

South Korean shares opened sharply lower Friday, weighed down by overnight losses in US artificial intelligence and semiconductor stocks, while rising oil prices added to market jitters. After opening 2.36 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 156.6 points, or 2.83 percent, to 5,377.17 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, US stocks closed mixed, with losses in major technology shares weighing on the broader market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.02 percent, while the