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Market Rules

Key trading rules and mechanisms on the Korea Exchange.

1.1 Supported Markets

Market
Description
KOSPI (Main Board)
Main board listed company stocks
KOSDAQ (Growth Board)
Technology / growth enterprise stocks
Note: Only common stocks are supported. ETFs, ETNs, ELWs and other derivative products are not supported.
 

1.2 Daily Price Limit

Individual stock prices can move up to ±30% from the previous closing price per trading day
Orders placed outside the price limit range will be rejected
Orders at the limit price can still be submitted but may not be filled.
 

1.3 Circuit Breaker

Level
Trigger Condition
Market Action
Level 1
Index falls >8% from previous close (persists 1 min)
Market-wide halt for 20 min; only cancellations allowed; 10-min call auction on resume
Level 2
Index falls >15% from previous close, and ≥1% further from Level 1 trigger
Same as Level 1
Level 3
Index falls >20% from previous close, and ≥1% further from Level 2 trigger
Trading terminated for the day; no orders accepted
 
Each level can only trigger once per day. Level 1/2 circuit breakers do not trigger after 14:50 KST (13:50 SGT).
 

1.4 Volatility Interruption (VI)

Static VI: Triggered when a stock deviates ≥10% from previous closing price; pauses trading for 2 minutes
Dynamic VI: Triggered when price deviates ≥3–6% from the most recent execution price; pauses trading for 2 minutes
 

1.5 Short Selling

Short selling is currently prohibited for individual investors on Korean exchanges
Only institutional and foreign institutional investors may short sell under regulated conditions
Circuit breakers and volatility interruptions are protective mechanisms. During these pauses, orders can be submitted but will not be matched until trading resumes.

1.6 Account Requirement

Only comprehensive securities accounts (margin accounts) are supported for trading Korean stocks. Cash accounts are not supported.

 

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