The KOSPI rose more than 2 percent on Jan. 2, the first trading day of 2026, breaking above the 4,300 level.

The KOSPI closed up 95.46 points, or 2.27 percent, at 4,309.63. It opened at 4,224.53, up 10.36 points, or 0.25 percent, and extended gains throughout the session.

At 2:36 p.m., it jumped as much as 2.06 percent to 4,301.18, topping 4,300 for the first time. It later widened gains and briefly rose to 4,313.55 shortly before the close.

Foreign investors led the rise, buying 630.9 billion won, while individual investors and institutions sold 454.3 billion won and 233.5 billion won, respectively.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix showed even stronger momentum at the start of the new year. Samsung Electronics jumped 7.17 percent to close at 128,500 won, setting a fresh record high again.

SK Hynix also closed up 3.99 percent at 677,000 won, signaling another year of sharp gains.

Other top market-cap stocks also ended higher, including SK Square, up 6.52 percent, Celltrion, up 11.88 percent, Hyundai Motor, up 0.67 percent, Hanwha Aerospace, up 0.53 percent, Samsung C&T, up 2.30 percent, Naver, up 1.86 percent, and Hanwha Ocean, up 0.97 percent.

In contrast, most financial stocks fell, including KB Financial Group, down 1.12 percent, Shinhan Financial Group, down 0.39 percent, Hana Financial Group, down 0.74 percent, and Meritz Financial Group, down 1.33 percent.

The KOSDAQ also ended higher, rising 20.10 points, or 2.17 percent, to 945.57.