South Korean network and optical equipment stocks rallied sharply as global AI infrastructure expansion intensified expectations of shortages in optical communications components. RF Materials surged 19.86% on the KOSDAQ as of 9:35 a.m. on the 9th, while Sungho Electronics, Woori Technology, OE Solutions and Daehan Fiber Optics each gained more than 10%. The KOSDAQ rose 1.32% to 822.56, supported by foreign net buying of 83.8 billion won, or approximately $62.6 million. The move followed gains in U.S. optical companies after Verizon agreed to a multibillion-dollar fiber-cable supply deal with Corning through 2032, and AWS and Qualcomm announced a $60 billion AI data-center partnership that includes 1.6T and next-generation optical connectivity. Analysts say South Korean suppliers could see recurring orders in data center interconnect, or DCI (links connecting data centers), and potentially enter a full earnings-growth trajectory by 2027. Separately, ASML said Samsung Electronics and TSMC had joined Intel in a consortium to develop 12-inch photomask standards for High-NA EUV equipment. The initiative could raise equipment productivity by approximately 40%, while Samsung plans to use High-NA EUV in DRAM production in 2028 and TSMC has outlined adoption beginning in 2030. Investors are weighing whether the optical-stock rally will produce lasting earnings gains as oil prices rise above $98 a barrel and U.S. inflation data and the FOMC rate decision approach.