[Digital Today reporter Oh Sang-yup] South Korea's KOSPI resumed its bull run immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday, extending a sharp two-day rally and bringing 6,000 into view.

On Thursday, the KOSPI ended up 131.28 points, or 2.31 percent, at 5,808.53 from the previous session.

The index opened up 19.64 points, or 0.35 percent, at 5,696.89 and kept rising throughout the day. It jumped as high as 5,809.91 at around 2:37 p.m. It was the first time the KOSPI crossed 5,800.

Institutions led the rise with net purchases of 1.61 trillion won. Retail and foreign investors, meanwhile, were net sellers of 987.2 billion won and 742.7 billion won, respectively, showing profit-taking.

Most top market-cap stocks advanced. Samsung Electronics closed at 190,100 won, up 0.05 percent from the previous session, while SK Hynix jumped 6.15 percent to 949,000 won, leading the index higher.

Hanwha Aerospace rose 8.09 percent, Doosan Enerbility gained 5.18 percent, SK Square added 2.47 percent, Samsung Biologics rose 0.93 percent and Kia gained 1.06 percent.

Hyundai Motor fell 0.78 percent and LG Energy Solution slipped 0.50 percent to close lower.

The KOSDAQ ended down 6.71 points, or 0.58 percent, at 1,154.00.