Nikkei 225 opens down 0.2%, Kospi opens up 2.4%

The divergence between the two benchmarks is the real signal here, not the headline moves themselves. A 2.4% Kospi open against a slightly negative Nikkei suggests the drivers are local and sector-specific rather than a shared regional risk appetite. With only opening prints to work from, whether this gap persists through the session or narrows as liquidity builds is the open question worth watching.