The benchmark KOSPI rose more than 2% to around 5,650 on Thursday, extending gains to a fresh record high, as strength in US tech shares lifted heavyweight semiconductor names. Gains on Wall Street following the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes set a constructive tone across Asian equities. The market moved higher after reopening from a three-day Lunar New Year holiday, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix climbing 5% and 2%, respectively, accounting for much of the advance. Other notable performers include SK Square (2.9%), Kia Corporation (2.7%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (7.9%), and Doosan Enerbility (3.1%), underscoring a broad-based rally. Investor sentiment was further supported by sustained global demand for advanced memory chips, highlighting Korea’s role in the artificial intelligence supply chain. Despite lingering concerns over exchange-rate volatility and trade uncertainty, the strong performance among technology heavyweights kept the upward momentum intact.