The benchmark KOSPI held flat at around 3,200 on Friday, pausing after a three-day advance, as renewed trade tensions weighed on sentiment. US President Trump signed an order on Thursday lowering tariffs on Japanese autos to 15%, raising competitiveness risks for South Korean automakers, with US levies on Korean vehicles still at 25%. The pressure came despite strength on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 hit a fresh record high and the Nasdaq also advanced on hopes that weaker US labor data could prompt rate cuts. Domestically, investors continued to assess corporate reform plans submitted this week by the country’s top conglomerates under the government’s value-up program. On the corporate front, decliners outnumbered gainers across major sectors. Samsung Electronics lost 0.5%, Hyundai Motor fell 0.3%, and Hanwha Ocean tumbled 4.2%, while SK Hynix climbed 3% and Naver gained 1.1%.