South Korean Stocks, Kospi Index Are Trading at a Record High

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Jin Yu YoungJanuary 30, 2026 at 06:01 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

South Korean stocks are trading at record highs in early 2026, with the Kospi index doubling in the past year, outperforming other major global indexes. This surge is fueled by government policies, particularly those of President Lee Jae Myung who pledged investor-friendly reforms, and the global A.I. boom, benefiting chipmakers like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Individual investors are increasingly participating in the market, reflected in the rise of active trading accounts and popularity of investment education. Despite economic anxieties and a recent contraction in the fourth quarter of 2025, the Kospi index surpassed 5,000 for the first time, marking its strongest start since 1998.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Korea Exchange 35% TCK Investments 40% Seoul ×240% Ohad Topor ×250% Donald Trump 60% SK Hynix 70% Lee Jae Myung ×270% Samsung Electronics 75% Kospi Index ×785% South Korea ×490%

Keywords

kospi index 90% artificial intelligence 80% stock market 70% south korea 60% economy 50% investing 50% global boom 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.40

Source Transparency

Source

New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

South Korea

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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kospi index artificial intelligence stock market south korea economy investing global boom

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