KOSPI 5000 Milestone 2026: Tech Giants Propel Seoul Shares to Historic Highs

It's a new era for Seoul's stock market. For the first time ever, the KOSPI briefly touched the 5,000-point mark on Thursday, signaling a massive shift in investor sentiment and market scale.

KOSPI 5000 Milestone 2026: Semiconductor Surge Drives Gains

According to Yonhap, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 42.6 points, or 0.87 percent, to close at 4,952.53 on January 22, 2026. While it pared some early gains due to profit-taking, the intraday breach of 5,000 marks a historic moment that investors have targeted since last year.

The rally was fueled by a strong performance on Wall Street, where concerns over Greenland eased, leading to gains in the Dow Jones and Nasdaq. Locally, individual investors bought a net 156.4 billion won worth of shares, offsetting heavy selling by foreign institutions.

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AI Optimism vs. Automotive Sector Slump

Chipmakers remained the primary engine of growth. Samsung Electronics climbed 1.87 percent to 152,300 won, while SK hynix jumped 2.03 percent. LG Energy Solution stood out with a 5.7 percent surge, benefiting from renewed interest in battery technology.

However, the automotive sector didn't share the same luck. Hyundai Motor dropped 3.64 percent and Kia fell 4.36 percent as investors locked in profits from recent rallies. Meanwhile, the local currency strengthened to 1,469.95 against the dollar.