South Korean Shares Post Best Annual Gain Since 1999

2025-12-30 02:50 By Erika Ordonez 1 min. read

The benchmark KOSPI posted a 75.6% gain for 2025, marking its strongest annual performance since 1999 and outperforming major global peers.

The year-long rally was driven by heavyweight semiconductor stocks, underpinned by sustained AI-related demand and a global chip upcycle.

Broader sentiment was also supported by optimism around government-led market reforms aimed at narrowing South Korea’s long-standing valuation discount relative to global peers, including stronger minority shareholder protections and efforts to upgrade the country’s market status.

Meanwhile, the index ended on a softer note, falling 0.15% to close at 4,214 on Tuesday, easing from intraday levels near all-time highs amid late-session profit-taking and thin year-end liquidity.

Still, chipmakers sustained growth with Samsung Electronics settling 0.33% higher and peer SK hynix gaining 1.72%.

South Korean markets will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday for the year-end holidays.



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