Seoul: Foreign investors sold a record high amount of South Korean stocks in February amid concerns over artificial intelligence and reduced expectations for interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, data showed Tuesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, data from the Korea Center for International Finance (KCIF) indicated that foreigners sold a net 19.9 trillion won (US$13.5 billion) worth of local stocks last month, marking the highest-ever monthly figure on record. Investors offloaded a net 22.2 trillion won of shares in South Korea's leading chipmakers, Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc., as part of a strategy to adjust their investment portfolios.

Despite the sell-off in stocks, foreign investors purchased a net 8 trillion won worth of local bonds in February, continuing their buying streak for the fourth consecutive month.