South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI climbed more than 2% to around 5,650 on Thursday, extending gains to a fresh record high as strength in US technology stocks boosted heavyweight semiconductor shares.
The rally followed gains on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes, which set a constructive tone across Asian markets. The KOSPI also benefited from reopening after a three-day Lunar New Year holiday, with pent-up buying interest supporting early trade.
Semiconductor giants drive momentum
Technology heavyweights accounted for much of the advance. Samsung Electronics surged around 5%, while SK Hynix rose approximately 2%, reflecting sustained global demand for advanced memory chips tied to artificial intelligence applications.
Other notable gainers included:
- SK Square up 2.9%
- Kia Corporation rising 2.7%
- HD Hyundai Heavy Industries jumping 7.9%
- Doosan Enerbility gaining 3.1%
The broad-based rally underscores Korea’s critical role in the global artificial intelligence supply chain, particularly in high-performance memory chips.
Despite ongoing concerns over exchange-rate volatility and global trade uncertainty, the strong performance in technology counters helped maintain upward momentum, pushing the index to new highs.