NPS holding in Korean stocks stretches $54 bn Q1 thanks to chip names SEOUL, April 09 (AJP) -South Korea’s National Pension Service, one of the world's largest with 1,540.4 trillion won worth assets under management as of January, saw its value of its holdings in domestic equities stretch by 80 trillion won ($54 billion) in the first quarter thanks to the spikes in memory stocks. According to financial data tracker FnGuide, the NPS stakes in 291 listed companies subject to disclosure with holding ratio of more than 5 percent were value April 9, 2026

FX intervention joins as the truce in Middle East provides relief in Korean market SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - The relief over bombardment in the Gulf brought long-awaited relief to the South Korean won and bonds, and the truce amplified Seoul’s intervention campaign, according to traders. The won closed at 1,470.6 per dollar, returning below the 1,500 level for the first time in 12 trading days. The 33.6 won gain marked the steepest daily move in about three months, since a 33.8 won jump on Dec. 24 last year amid heavy intervention. The conditional cease April 8, 2026

Hormuz reopening hopes spark 7% KOSPI surge as oil plunges SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - The prospect of the Strait of Hormuz reopening under a two-week ceasefire ignited Asian markets on Wednesday, sending South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI soaring nearly 7 percent. The index, after jumping as high as 5,919.60, closed up 6.9 percent at 5,872.3. A buy-side sidecar was triggered shortly after the open as the KOSPI 200 surged more than 5 percent at the opening bell. The rally was driven by a sharp reversal in global energy markets. Brent crud April 8, 2026

KOSPI surges over 6%, USD-KRW falls under 1,500 on Hormuz reopening news SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) — South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI zoomed above 5,800 by flying 6 percent upon the opening bell Wednesday on expectations of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as a part of the ceasefire terms of the United States that Tehran reportedly accepted. The main index opened sharply higher, jumping 6.56 percent to 5,855.29, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ rose 4.13 percent to 1,079.58. Japan’s Nikkei 225 also climbed more than 4 percent. A buy-side s April 8, 2026

UPDATE: Korea's C/A at record high, foreign invest dip steepest in Feb *Updated with additional information SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) — South Korea's current account surplus reached a historic monthly high in February, crossing the $20 billion mark for the first time since records began and will stay largely insulated from the Middle East-driven oil and dollar spike at least through March, the central bank said Wednesday. Bank of Korea (BOK) data showed the February current account posted a record $23.19 billion surplus, surpassing the previo April 8, 2026

Asian stocks edge up as markets brace for Trump's Iran deadline SEOUL, April 07 (AJP) - Asian equities ended mostly higher Tuesday, though gains were limited as investors held back ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s self-imposed nighttime deadline for Iran. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI rose 0.82 percent to 5,494.78 after swinging between gains and losses through the session. The rebound was helped by renewed foreign buying following Samsung Electronics’ blockbuster first-quarter earnings, which placed it among the world& April 7, 2026

Another bio boom burst looms over KOSDAQ SEOUL, April 07 (AJP) - Boom-and-bust cycles have long defined Korea’s bio stocks, and the latest episode has unfolded around generic and specialty drugmaker Sam Chun Dang Pharm. Sam Chun Dang closed Tuesday at 519,000 won ($345), down 16.02 percent on the day. From its closing high of 1.184 million won on March 30, the stock has plunged more than 56 percent — a sharp reversal after an earlier surge of nearly 400 percent from around 270,000 won at the start of the ye April 7, 2026

KDI warns of downside risks to economy as Gulf crisis clouds recovery SEOUL, April 7 (AJP) - South Korea's governmental Korea Development Institute think tank warned on Tuesday that the nascent economic recovery is facing increased downside risks as the conflict in the Middle East disrupts global supply chains and triggers a spike in energy prices. In the April edition of its "KDI Monthly Economic Trends," the institute said that while domestic demand and exports had been showing signs of gradual improvement, the "volatility stemmin April 7, 2026

BOK, BdF address central bank role in tokenized environment SEOUL, April 07 (AJP) -South Korea and France’s central banks discussed stablecoins and the evolving role of banks in a tokenized financial system during a joint session in Seoul, the Bank of Korea said Tuesday. The Bank of Korea (BOK) and the Banque de France (BdF) are holding a two-day meeting from Tuesday through Wednesday as part of a regular academic exchange launched in 2024 to address shifts in the global economic landscape. This year’s session coincided wit April 7, 2026

Samsung earnings surprise boosts KOSPI as markets remain cautious over Trump's ultimatum to Iran SEOUL, April 7 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI got off to a good start on Tuesday as a strong earnings surprise from Samsung Electronics supported sentiment, although gains were limited as Asian and other markets braced for U.S. President Donald Trump's final ultimatum to Iran. The KOSPI pared earlier gains, rising 0.64 percent to 5,485.43. Gains were supported by Samsung Electronics rising 1.81 percent to 196,600 won after posting record-breaking quarterly earnings. T April 7, 2026