Seoul: South Korea's stock market and currency have emerged as some of the worst performers globally this year, amid investor concerns over weakening growth momentum and structural issues, such as an aging population, in Asia's fourth-largest economy. According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's benchmark index, the KOSPI, has decreased nearly 9 percent so far this year, closing at 2,416.86 points on Friday. The secondary KOSDAQ market has been hit even harder, suffering a 21 percent decline. In contrast, during the same period, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen 15.27 percent, and the Nasdaq has surged 24 percent. Out of 40 surveyed countries, South Korea's stock market was second only to Russia's, which experienced a 20.79 percent loss. South Korea's currency has similarly seen a downturn, closing at 1,398.80 won on Friday, marking an 8.6 percent decrease from 1,288 won at the end of last year. This positions it as the second-worst performer among major currencies, with the Japanese yen performi ng the worst with a 10.71 percent fall. Market experts highlight South Korea's economic structural vulnerabilities, combined with potential protectionist policies under the incoming Trump administration and weak domestic demand, as factors causing investor concerns.