Korea Exchange (KRX)

The sole securities exchange operator in South Korea, managing both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ indices. - Managing unprecedented volatility with circuit breakers

South Korea's stock market was the best performer among major economies in early 2026, riding a semiconductor boom that pushed the benchmark KOSPI index to an all-time high of 6,347 on February 27. Five days later, the index had lost nearly 20% of its value in the worst two-day crash in the country's history, triggered by the United States and Israel striking Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz—the narrow waterway through which 95% of South Korea's Middle Eastern oil imports flow.

Updated Yesterday

South Korea's sole securities exchange operator administers the KOSPI and KOSDAQ indices and has been implementing the government's Value Up program to attract global investors. - Operating the world's best-performing major equity market

South Korea's benchmark KOSPI stock index crossed 6,000 points for the first time on February 25, 2026, completing its climb from 5,000 to 6,000 in just 34 trading days—the fastest thousand-point advance in the index's history. The index has gained 43% since January and 76% in 2025, making Seoul's market the best-performing major bourse in the world. Two companies explain most of the move: Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which together account for roughly 40% of the KOSPI's market capitalization and produce approximately 80% of the world's high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips—the specialized components that artificial intelligence data centers cannot run without.

Updated Feb 25