East Asia's major stock markets experienced a softening trend on the trading days in mid-December. The Korean stock market's KOSPI index fell by 2.67%, closing at 4055.85 points, with a continued selling bias since the market opened. During the same period, Japan's Nikkei 225 also declined by 0.80%, opening at 50432.10 points, indicating a bearish market environment across the region. The Korean stock market's larger decline compared to Japan suggests that investors' risk aversion is intensifying.