South Korean stocks commenced Tuesday’s trading session at a fresh record high, surpassing 7,900 points and setting their sights on the unprecedented 8,000-point mark. This robust market performance was predominantly fueled by the sustained bull run of major chipmakers, largely overshadowing escalating geopolitical anxieties surrounding the U.S.-Iran peace negotiations.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) opened 1.68 percent higher, quickly advancing by 112.27 points, or 1.44 percent, to reach 7,934.51 by 9:15 a.m. local time. Demonstrating strong early momentum, the index briefly touched an intraday high of 7,999.67 shortly after the opening bell, signaling significant investor confidence.
This achievement marks a historic milestone, as it’s the first time the Kospi index has successfully breached the 7,900-point threshold. The latest surge extended Monday’s impressive performance, where the Kospi closed at an all-time high of 7,822.24, crossing the 7,800-point mark for the first time ever, driven by the persistent rally in key blue-chip technology shares, including industry leaders Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
The upward trajectory of South Korean tech stocks closely followed robust overnight gains observed on Wall Street. Global equity markets, particularly in the technology sector, were buoyed by widespread optimism regarding the continuous expansion of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. This positive sentiment effectively counteracted various geopolitical uncertainties, notably the stalled U.S.-Iran peace negotiations and the anticipation of a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
In the U.S. market, leading semiconductor and technology firms posted significant advances. Micron Technology jumped 6.5 percent, Intel added 3.62 percent, Qualcomm soared 8.42 percent, and Nvidia rose 1.97 percent, setting a positive tone for Asian trading.
Despite President Trump’s earlier statements about potentially re-initiating “Project Freedom” to navigate vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, and his dismissive comments on Iran’s peace offer, Seoul’s stock market demonstrated remarkable resilience. Many of South Korea’s big-cap tech shares opened strongly, largely disregarding these international tensions.
Among the top performers in Seoul, semiconductor powerhouse Samsung Electronics began trading 0.7 percent higher, while fellow chip manufacturing giant SK Hynix climbed an impressive 3.27 percent. AI investment specialist SK Square saw a 1.77 percent increase, and leading battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution advanced by 0.96 percent.
The rally extended beyond technology into other key sectors. Automotive giant Hyundai Motor soared 5.42 percent, and its auto parts affiliate Hyundai Mobis surged 8.5 percent. Power plant manufacturer Doosan Enerbility expanded 3.59 percent, and major shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy jumped 4.23 percent. Samsung Electro-Mechanics also posted a strong gain of 4.33 percent.
However, not all stocks participated in the broad market rally. Defense giant Hanwha Aerospace registered a decline of 1.37 percent, while Samsung SDI lost 1.83 percent, and LS Electric dropped 1.81 percent.
