Korea is facing growing concerns that a sharp stock market decline triggered by fears of U.S. restrictions on artificial intelligence (AI) data center construction could spill over into the real economy, as such curbs, if implemented, could threaten semiconductor exports and weigh on next year’s growth, analysts said Sunday. The Democrats’ victory in the U.S. midterm elections last week has fueled speculation that the party could push for tighter oversight of data center projects, although specific measures have yet to be announced. Korea’s economy has benefited substantially from the global AI boom this year, with strong semiconductor exports providing a major boost to growth. Semiconductors accounted for 49 percent of the country’s total exports in October, and the Bank of Korea (BOK) estimates that the industry will contribute roughly half of the country's economic growth this year. These concerns have already taken a toll on Korean stocks. Both the benchmark KOSPI and secondary bourse Kosdaq lost 10.43 percent and 8.54 percent, respectively, over the three trading sessions f