South Korean Kospi Sets Record High as Market Doubles Over Past Year

The South Korean stock market rose for three straight days this week and the benchmark Kospi index set fresh records each day, closing above 5,000 for the first time on Tuesday, the New York Times reported on Jan. 30, 2026. The rally has pushed the Kospi to double over the past year and outpace other major indices, driven largely by gains in chipmakers such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the report said.

The market’s value has increased about $1.7 trillion since January 2025, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Individual investors have piled into the market: the number of active trading accounts jumped last year, online courses and investing books have surged in popularity, and net purchases of the Kospi by individual investors rose 54 percent in 2025, according to data from the Korea Exchange.

“Korean investors, especially the retail segment, engage deeply with prevailing trends,” said Ohad Topor of TCK Investments. The boom comes amid government policies aimed at reducing a long-standing “Korea discount,” including investor-friendly reforms and tax incentives pushed by President Lee Jae Myung, who pledged during his campaign to raise the Kospi to 5,000.

The rally has continued even after President Trump threatened to hike tariffs on South Korean exports and amid a depreciation of the won, which has made investing abroad tougher for many Koreans.

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