The South Korean benchmark stock market has opened significantly down from Friday due to growing concerns over further spread of the novel coronavirus in the nation. 

As of 9:35 a.m. on Monday, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) was being traded at two-thousand-111-point-88, down by 50-point-96 points, or two-point-36 percent, from Friday’s closing. 

Foreigners dumped over 200 billion won worth local shares more than they snapped up, while individual and institutional investors were net buyers. 

The tech-heavy KOSDAQ was being traded lower by 13-point-98 points, or two-point-09 percent, at 654-point-01.

The number of those diagnosed with COVID-19 in South Korea has jumped by more than 550 since Friday afternoon to over 760 as of 9 a.m. on Monday while a total of seven confirmed patients here have died so far.