Samsung Electronics market value surpasses 1,000 trillion won

South Korea’s stock market hit record highs as the KOSPI rose more than 1 percent, despite declines on Wall Street. Samsung Electronics’ market capitalization exceeded 1,000 trillion won for the first time for common shares.

On Feb. 4, the KOSPI closed at 5,371.1, up 1.57 percent from the previous session. Foreign investors sold a net 930 billion won and individual investors sold about 1 trillion won, but institutional investors bought roughly 1.8 trillion won, pushing the index higher.

Shares of Samsung Electronics rose 0.87 percent, Doosan Enerbility gained 5.37 percent, and HD Hyundai Electric jumped 3.94 percent. SK hynix fell 0.55 percent, a smaller decline than U.S. chipmaker Micron, which dropped 4.19 percent. Samsung Electronics’ market capitalization for common shares reached 1,001.01 trillion won, and including preferred shares, its total value rose to 1,099.34 trillion won.

On Feb. 3 in New York, U.S. technology stocks fell, led by software companies, following the release of Anthropic’s AI agent Claude Coward. By contrast, South Korean companies with strengths in semiconductors, nuclear power and electrical equipment for data center infrastructure largely posted gains.

“As the AI industry rapidly evolves and markets adjust to changing business interests and revenue models, domestic stocks tied to AI infrastructure have remained resilient," said Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities. "Government efforts to shift funds from real estate into domestic equities have also supported the market.”


홍석호 will@donga.com