The benchmark KOSPI climbed 1.8% to around 5,000 on Thursday, extending gains to a new record high, as heavyweight chipmakers rallied amid strong AI-driven demand. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix advanced 2.9% and 2.2%, respectively, as rising memory prices and tight supply conditions continued to bolster earnings momentum, reinforcing Korea’s position as a key beneficiary of the global AI investment cycle. Additional gains were recorded in Hyundai Motor (1.6%), LG Energy Solution (4.4%), Doosan Enerbility (1.8%), SK Square (3.3%), and Naver (3.1%). Sentiment was further supported by a regional risk-on move after US President Donald Trump stepped back from tariff threats against European nations, helping ease global market volatility. The rally also reflects sustained optimism over capital market reforms aimed at narrowing the “Korea discount,” encouraging investors to re-rate domestic equities despite broader economic headwinds.