Seoul stocks opened sharply higher on Wednesday amid growing optimism over Washington's moves to end the month-long war in Iran. The benchmark KOSPI rose 170.22 points, or 3.06 percent, to 5,724.14 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Seoul stocks opened sharply higher on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, as optimism grew over Washington's efforts to end the month-long war in Iran. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 170.22 points, or 3.06 percent, to 5,724.14 within the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, major Wall Street indexes closed slightly lower amid mixed signals from US-Iran negotiations. U.S. President Donald Trump stated his administration is 'talking to the right people' in Iran and that 'they want to make a deal so badly.' He also indicated Tehran has offered a 'present,' likely related to the Strait of Hormuz—a key global oil waterway effectively closed since the war began, driving energy prices to record highs. In Seoul, most large-cap stocks advanced. Chipmaker Samsung Electronics gained 3.27 percent, while rival SK hynix rose 4.26 percent, boosted by its regulatory filing announcing steps to list American Depository Receipts on the U.S. market. Top automaker Hyundai Motor added 4.27 percent, defense firm Hanwha Aerospace climbed 1.5 percent, and portal operator Naver edged up 1.87 percent. As of 9:15 a.m., the Korean won traded at 1,491.9 per U.S. dollar, down 3.3 won from the previous session.
