KOSPI Index Hits Record, South Korean Market Valuation Surpasses Rp70,704 Trillion

South Korea’s stock market has made history as the KOSPI index surged to a record high, driving the total valuation of the Ginseng Country’s stock market beyond 6,000 trillion won for the first time.

According to data from the Korea Exchange cited by The Korea Herald, the combined market capitalisation of the domestic exchange reached 6,031.97 trillion won (approximately US$4.1 trillion) or around Rp70,704 trillion (estimated at an exchange rate of Rp17,250 per US dollar).

The largest contribution came from the KOSPI index at 5,354.36 trillion won, followed by the Kosdaq index at 673.97 trillion won and the Konex index at 3.64 trillion won.

This rally aligns with the ongoing surge in the KOSPI index, which has broken through new psychological levels. The KOSPI opened higher and climbed to an intraday record of 6,603.01, surpassing the 6,600 level for the first time.

A broader increase was evident in the Kosdaq index, which jumped more than 1 percent. This movement extends the previous upward trend, which had exceeded the 1,200 level for the first time in 25 years.

Large-cap stocks were the main drivers of the market’s strength. As of 10:35 local time, Samsung Electronics shares rose 1.25 percent to 222,250 won, while SK Hynix shares soared 5.32 percent to 1,287,000 won, achieving an all-time high.

The impressive performance was fuelled by positive sentiment in the technology sector, particularly semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI), which are key drivers of the global market.

While the South Korean exchange shone, movements in other Asian markets were varied. Taiwan’s stock index strengthened by 1.73 percent, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.18 percent, following the tech sector’s upward trend.

Indonesia’s Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG) also opened stronger by 21 points or 0.31 percent at 7,128 on the opening of trading on Tuesday, 28 April 2026. However, the Hang Seng Index and Straits Times Index weakened by 0.25 percent and 0.57 percent, respectively.