[DigitalToday reporter Oh Sang-yup (오상엽)] South Korea's KOSPI ended higher on the 16th, closing in on the 5,550 level on strength in chip shares. The Kosdaq, meanwhile, extended losses through the session and fell more than 1 percent.

The KOSPI closed up 62.61 points, or 1.14 percent, at 5,549.85 from the previous session. It opened up 23.58 points, or 0.43 percent, at 5,510.82 and rose to as high as 5,561.42 during the day.

Retail investors and institutions were net buyers of 718.6 billion won and 88.6 billion won, respectively, leading the index higher. Foreigners, meanwhile, were net sellers of 848.1 billion won.

Among top market-cap stocks, gains in chip shares stood out.

Samsung Electronics rose 2.83 percent to 188,700 won and SK Hynix gained 7.03 percent to 974,000 won. SK Square also ended up 5.24 percent.

Hyundai Motor fell 2.13 percent. LG Energy Solution and Hanwha Aerospace each lost 0.81 percent, Samsung Biologics dropped 1.51 percent, Doosan Enerbility slid 0.75 percent and Kia fell 1.40 percent.

The Kosdaq closed down 14.67 points, or 1.27 percent, at 1,138.29 from the previous session.

In the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won was at 1,498.00 per dollar, up 1.00 won, or 0.07 percent, from the previous session.