The Kospi rose 60.37 points, or 0.88%, to 6,912.95 on Aug. 21, recovering above 6,900 for the first time since Aug. 14 as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rallied on shareholder-return expectations. The Kosdaq closed down 38.95 points, or 4.63%, at 801.94 after falling to 796.22 intraday and triggering a sell-side sidecar, temporarily suspending the validity of program trading orders. The decline reflected profit-taking in biotech and semiconductor materials, parts and equipment stocks, weaker U.S. markets and higher Treasury yields, while the frequency of safeguards continued to prompt calls to reassess their effectiveness.