By Cynthia Kim and Jihoon Lee SEONGNAM, South Korea, March 4 (Reuters) - As South Korea's benchmark KOSPI stock index dived more than 12% to its worst-ever sell-off on Wednesday, a district known as the Korean Silicon Valley was eerily quiet when it would normally be bustling for the lunchtime rush.

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison for briefly imposing martial law in a dramatic culmination to the country's biggest political crisis in decades.

The conservative leader was ousted from office after he declared martial law and sent troops to surround the National Assembly on Dec. 3, 2024, in a baffling attempt to overcome a legislature controlled by his liberal opponents.

SEOUL, March 4 (Reuters) - South Korea's ruling and opposition parties agreed on Wednesday to pass a special bill on March 12 to enable major investments in the U.S. under a bilateral trade deal, moving to meet Washington's expectations after recent pressure over delays.

Investing.com-- South Korea’s KOSPI index slid over 11% on Wednesday, triggering a temporary halt in stock trading as heightened risk aversion over the U.S.-Iran war and rising energy prices sparked a wave of profit-taking in local markets.

The ruling, delivered by Seoul Central District Court judge Jee Kui-youn, was lighter than the death penalty prosecutors sought in January.

MANILA, March 3 (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos met South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Manila on Tuesday, where they discussed ways to deepen economic and security ties. Lee was in Manila on a state visit.

Türkiye has invited South Korean firms to invest in the country’s nuclear, renewables, and critical minerals strategy.