South Korea’s main stock market opened significantly weaker on Tuesday following the four-day Lunar New Year break as the nation and many other parts of the world are on high alert over the spread of a new coronavirus centered in China. 

As of 10 a.m., the Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) was trading at two-thousand-185-point-13, or two-point-72 percent lower than Wednesday’s closing. 

A selling spree led by individual and foreign investors was partially offset by net-buying by institutional investors. 

The U.S. stock index Dow Jones Industrial Average also sharply fell overnight to 28-thousand-535-point-80, or one-point-57 percent lower than the previous trading day.