South Korea’s KOSPI opened sharply higher on Sept. 23, rising 136.08 points, or 1.94%, to 7,153.99 as gains in U.S. technology and AI semiconductor stocks strengthened investor sentiment. Retail investors recorded net purchases of 61.5 billion won, offsetting net sales of 13.5 billion won by foreign investors and 48.0 billion won by institutions. Samsung Electronics rose 0.91% to 276,500 won, while SK hynix attempted an early rebound after falling 1.50% in the previous session. The won-dollar exchange rate traded between 1,348 won and 1,351 won after opening at 1,351.9 won, supporting foreign demand for South Korean assets. Market experts said AI-driven semiconductor improvements and currency-market stability were strengthening the market’s fundamentals, while warning that profit-taking could increase intraday volatility.