It was a day for the record books on February 25, 2026, as South Korea’s KOSPI index shattered expectations and soared past the 6,000-point milestone for the very first time. The achievement, coming just a month after the index first crossed the 5,000 mark, left traders, investors, and market watchers abuzz with excitement and a fair bit of disbelief. The mood in Seoul’s financial district was electric—one could almost feel the collective pulse quicken as the numbers ticked higher and higher, capping off what has been a remarkable run for the country’s stock market.
According to Yonhap Infomax, at precisely 9:03 AM, the KOSPI stood at 6,017.43 points, a jump of 0.8% (47.79 points) from the previous session. But that was just the beginning. KBS News reported that the index opened at 6,022.70 points, up 53.06 points (0.89%), notching the symbolic ‘6,000’ right at the opening bell. This marked a historic moment for South Korea’s main bourse, as it had never before breached this psychological barrier.
The sheer velocity of the climb is just as striking. As The Hankyoreh noted, it took only 18 trading days for the KOSPI to leap from closing above 5,000 on January 27, 2026, to this new summit. In fact, since the presidential election last June, the index has skyrocketed by an eye-watering 122%. The KOSPI has been on a tear, rising for five consecutive days and logging gains on 30 out of the 36 trading days so far this year.
What’s fueling this rally? The answer is a mix of local enthusiasm and global momentum. Individual investors played a starring role, snapping up a net 569.7 billion KRW worth of shares, according to Yonhap Infomax. Institutions joined the buying spree with an additional 880.3 billion KRW in net purchases, as reported by Maeil Business Newspaper. Meanwhile, foreign investors took a breather, selling off 1.2919 trillion KRW on the KOSPI and maintaining a sell-side position in KOSPI200 futures as well.
Much of the optimism can be traced to Wall Street’s overnight performance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 0.76%, the S&P 500 gained 0.77%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq shot up by 1.04%. Improved US consumer confidence figures added fuel to the fire, giving global investors a reason to cheer. The appetite for risk was palpable, and South Korea’s market was quick to ride the wave.
Within the KOSPI, certain sectors and stocks stood out as engines of growth. Electric power stocks were particularly strong, buoyed by expectations of improving earnings amid a global surge in power demand. KEPCO Technology and Samsung Electro-Mechanics each gained over 3%, while Daehan Cable, Hyosung Heavy Industries, and LS Electric all posted gains above 2%.
The auto sector was another bright spot, with Hyundai Motor Group stocks turning in stellar performances. Kia leapt by 12.70%, turbocharged by news that its US Georgia plant had reached a cumulative production of five million vehicles. Hyundai Motor itself surged 9.16%, as investors grew more optimistic about the company’s advancements in robotics and autonomous driving technologies. Hyundai AutoEver and Hyundai Construction also climbed by 3.12% and 2.96%, respectively.
Semiconductor giants were not to be left out. Samsung Electronics opened at 202,500 KRW, up 1.25%, and closed at 203,500 KRW, a 1.75% increase, according to The Hankyoreh and Maeil Business Newspaper. SK Hynix followed suit, opening at 1,012,000 KRW (a 0.7% gain) and closing at 1,018,000 KRW (up 1.29%). These heavyweights, along with the surging auto stocks, propelled the combined market capitalization of KOSPI-listed companies past the 5,000 trillion KRW mark for the first time ever.
Not every sector joined the party, though. The medical precision instrument and pharmaceutical industries saw modest declines of 1.35% and 0.81%, respectively. Still, the broader market was overwhelmingly positive, with construction (up 6.78%), metals (up 5.24%), and securities (up 4.10%) leading the charge.
The KOSDAQ, South Korea’s tech-laden junior market, also enjoyed a strong session. It opened at 1,174.27 points, up 0.8% (9.27 points), and after a day of volatile swings, closed at 1,165.25 points, a slight 0.02% (0.25 points) uptick. Here, too, individual investors were the main buyers, picking up a net 390.8 billion KRW, while foreigners and institutions were net sellers.
Trading volumes were robust across the board. The KOSPI saw a turnover of 33.861 trillion KRW, while the KOSDAQ recorded 13.0247 trillion KRW in trades. In the currency markets, the Korean won strengthened slightly against the US dollar, with the exchange rate falling by 0.9 KRW to 1,441.6 KRW per dollar at the open, as detailed by The Hankyoreh.
The rally hasn’t been without its challenges. External risks, such as ongoing US tariff uncertainties, have lingered in the background. Yet, as Maeil Business Newspaper pointed out, strong performances by US technology stocks have helped offset these headwinds, keeping local sentiment buoyant.
Market analysts are quick to credit the semiconductor sector’s earnings momentum as a key driver. Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities, summed it up: “The main driver of the KOSPI’s rise is the profit momentum centered on the semiconductor sector.”
Looking back, the speed and scale of the KOSPI’s climb are nothing short of extraordinary. Just a month ago, the index breaking 5,000 was headline news. Now, with 6,000 in the rearview mirror and new records being set, the sense of possibility is palpable. South Korea’s stock market, long seen as a bellwether for Asia’s economic fortunes, has delivered a clear message: optimism, innovation, and investor confidence can move mountains—sometimes in just a matter of weeks.
As the trading day closed, the mood on the floor was jubilant, with market participants celebrating not just a number, but a symbol of how far the country’s financial markets have come. And with the engines of growth still humming, many are already asking: what new heights might be next?