The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) declined Wednesday as investors locked in recent gains amid rising uncertainty over the U.S. tariff agenda.

The KOSPI slid 14-point-59 points, or zero-point-47 percent, to close at three-thousand-75-point-06.

The index slumped briefly falling nearly two percent at one point as investors unloaded stocks amid mounting trade tensions after U.S. President Trump threatened to raise tariffs against Japan to as much as 35 percent.

The escalating friction between Trump and Elon Musk also exacerbated jitters as Trump threatened to withdraw government subsidies from Tesla after Musk amped up his criticism of the U.S president’s tax and spending bill.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose one percent while chip giant SK hynix dropped two-point-28 percent, battery maker LG Energy Solution increased one-point-68 percent and POSCO Holdings spiked four-point-35 percent but nuclear power plant manufacturer Doosan Enerbility dropped one-point-44 percent along with Hanwha Aerospace which shed two-point-38 percent.
  
The tech-heavy KOSDAQ shaved off one-point-50 points, or zero-point-19 percent, to close at 782-point-17.