Chip stocks pull KOSPI above 7,000 SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - South Korean stocks rebounded Wednesday morning, with the KOSPI climbing back above 7,000 as gains in chip heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK hynix outweighed lingering pressure from higher oil prices and Middle East tensions. The benchmark stood at 7,039.16 as of 10:54 a.m., up 1.22 percent from the previous session. The KOSPI opened 0.26 percent higher at 6,972.87 and briefly slipped to 6,968.06 before turning higher as buying strengthened in semiconductor an September 9, 2026

'Dave the Diver' tops 10 million in a Korean first SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - South Korean studio Mintrocket said that its diving-and-sushi adventure "Dave the Diver" has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, the first domestic single-player packaged game to cross that mark. The milestone announced Tuesday comes as Korean developers, long dominant in free-to-play online titles, increasingly bet on premium single-purchase games for console and PC. "Dave the Diver," released in full in mid-2023, casts players as a dive September 9, 2026

KOSPI closes below 7,000 as higher oil prices wipe out chip-led gains SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - South Korean stocks gave up a strong early gain on Tuesday, with the country's benchmark index closing below 7,000 points as higher oil prices and caution ahead of U.S. inflation data offset gains in chip stocks and hopes for U.S. investment projects. The KOSPI closed at 6,954.52, down 0.58 percent from the previous session. The index opened above 7,000 and climbed steadily through much of the morning, reclaiming the level intraday for the first time in 15 tradin September 8, 2026

Japanese yen and bonds rally as BOJ tightening bets build SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - The Japanese yen and long-dated government bonds rallied together Tuesday as investors priced faster tightening by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) alongside lower longer-term inflation risks. The yen strengthened as far as 152.89 per dollar, its strongest level since Feb. 17, before returning to around 153.3. Japan's 10-year government bond yield fell 4 basis points to 2.890 percent in morning trading. Ataru Okumura, senior rate strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc., September 8, 2026

KOSPI tops 7,100 as nuclear, construction stocks rally SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - South Korean KOSPI climbed above 7,100 Tuesday morning as construction and nuclear power shares surged on expectations that Korea might invest in the United States' major power projects. The benchmark KOSPI stood at 7,112.63 as of 10:45 a.m., up 1.7 percent from the previous session. The index rose as high as 7,115.92 after touching an intraday low of 7,018.53. The move took the index firmly above both the 7,000 and 7,100 levels after it closed at 6,995.39 on Mo September 8, 2026

Sejong, Hanoi sign pact to deepen ties SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - South Korea's administrative city and Vietnam's Hanoi agreed Tuesday to deepen ties in trade, talent and urban innovation, building on recent gains in business and digital cooperation. Sejong Mayor Cho Sang-ho and Vu Dai Thang, chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee signed a letter of intent (LOI) at Sejong City Hall. The document sets out a broader partnership between South Korea's administrative city and the Vietnamese capital. “We hope thi September 8, 2026

Won gains sharply, Korean bonds end broadly steady SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - The South Korean won strengthened sharply Monday but gave back part of an early rally, while Korean government bond yields ended broadly steady despite higher global rate expectations. The won strengthened 9.9 won from the previous session to close daytime trading at 1,340.5 per dollar, compared with Friday's 1,350.4. The currency strengthened as far as 1,334.7 earlier in the session. It was its strongest level since Oct. 4, 2024, and the dollar-won rate later r September 7, 2026

Memory trade lifts Seoul and Tokyo, leaves Shanghai flat SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - Northeast Asia's stock markets moved Monday in near proportion to how much memory chip exposure each one carries. Seoul's KOSPI jumped 4.6 percent, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 2.1 percent, and the composite index in Shanghai, where banks and oil producers dominate the weighting, finished virtually unchanged. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or KOSPI, closed at 6,995.39, its biggest one day gain since August 20 and 4.61 points short of the 7,000 level it September 7, 2026

KOSPI nears 6,900 on chip rally SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - South Korean KOSPI jumped nearly 3 percent Monday morning as foreign and institutional investors poured money into semiconductor heavyweights on renewed AI euphoria fueled by Nvidia's aggressive investment push. The benchmark KOSPI stood at 6,880.29 as of 10:30 a.m., up 2.9 percent from Friday's close. The index rose as high as 6,923.64, or about 3.5 percent, earlier in the session before pulling back. Its intraday low was 6,867.90. Foreign investors bought September 7, 2026

KRW/USD enters 1,330 range for first time in 23 months SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - The South Korean won climbed to its strongest level against the greenback in nearly 23 months Monday as exporters rush to convert their dollar holdings for fiscal settlement. The USD/KRW exchange rate traded at around 1,335.9 won as of 10 a.m. The pair entered the 1,330 range for the first time since Oct. 4, 2024, when the exchange rate traded between 1,331 and 1,335 won before closing daytime trading at 1,333.7 won. The won's advance stood out against a firme September 7, 2026