Seoul stocks open sharply lower amid escalating hostilities in Mideast

South Korean stocks started sharply lower Wednesday, tracking losses on Wall Street, as the United States and Iran continued exchanging military attacks, which pushed up oil prices. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 184.73 points, or 2.7 percent, to 6,651.07 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, major US stocks closed lower as a new round of US military strikes on Iran pushed up oil prices and fueled concerns over inflation in the world's largest economy. Inflation worries stoked a gover