Yonhap News
South Korea’s top two stocks by market capitalization showed a stark divergence in performance as the KOSPI rebounded to a record high in a single session. SK hynix (000660.KS) broke through its previous peak and approached the 2 million won mark, while Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) posted a relatively modest gain amid mounting concerns over a general strike.
According to the Korea Exchange on Monday, SK hynix closed the previous session at 1.976 million won, up 7.68%, setting a new all-time high. The stock briefly reached 1.999 million won in after-hours trading following the close of the regular session.
SK hynix had closed at 1.88 million won on the 11th of this month. On the 12th, the stock rose to an intraday high of 1.967 million won before closing lower at 1.835 million won. The stock opened lower the previous day as well but reversed course and surged. Based on the closing price on the 13th, only a 1.2% gain separated the stock from the 2 million won level.
Market analysts attributed the rebound in semiconductor sentiment to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who noted that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had boarded a plane bound for China.
Samsung Electronics, by contrast, posted a somewhat disappointing performance. The company closed at 284,000 won on the 13th, up just 1.79%. The close fell short of both the intraday high of 291,500 won on the 12th and the closing price of 285,500 won on the 11th. The divergence could split sentiment among individual investors holding either Samsung Electronics or SK hynix shares.
At Samsung Electronics, the risk of a general strike is intensifying after post-mediation talks between labor and management conducted by the National Labor Relations Commission were suspended. Concerns are mounting that an 18-day strike, set to run from the 21st through the 7th of next month, could lead to customer defections and supply chain disruptions amid the global semiconductor super-cycle.
Still, with eight days remaining until the 21st, the date set by the union, there is room for behind-the-scenes dialogue between labor and management. Samsung Electronics said in a statement that day, “The company will continue its efforts to prevent the worst outcome through sincere dialogue until the very end.” The union also left the door open, saying, “If the company brings a proper proposal to the table, we are willing to listen.”
Market observers also note that the strike issue is having a diminishing impact on the stock price. Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities, said, “Although the post-mediation talks with the union ultimately fell through, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol stated that a strike must never occur and pledged support for a negotiated resolution.” He added, “The controversial national dividend issue has also been dismissed as a personal opinion, and the situation appears to be calming down.”
