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Kospi opens higher following U.S. tariff deal

Published: 31 Jul. 2025, 10:11

A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the Kospi opening on July 31. [YONHAP]

Shares opened slightly higher Thursday after the country reached a long-awaited tariff agreement with the United States.

The Kospi added 3.95 points, or 0.12 percent, to 3,258.42 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Earlier in the day, the two nations announced a trade deal that would impose a 15 percent tariff on Korean imports and calls for $350 billion in U.S. investments. U.S. President Donald Trump earlier had threatened to impose a 25 percent levy.

Top-cap shares traded mixed.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 0.34 percent, while chip giant SK hynix surged 1.33 percent.

Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution rose 0.76 percent, but major bio company Samsung Biologics edged down 0.09 percent.

Defense giant Hanwha Aerospace gained 0.51 percent, and leading shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy jumped 3.82 percent. Nuclear power plant manufacturer Doosan Enerbility went up 0.94 percent.

Automakers opened lower after the U.S. tariff on Korean automobiles was set at 15 percent. Top automaker Hyundai Motor sank 1.57 percent, while its sister affiliate Kia dropped 2.17 percent.

Top online portal operator Naver climbed 0.21 percent, and leading steelmaker Posco advanced 1.12 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,388.3 won against the greenback at 9:15 a.m., up 0.38 percent from the previous session's figure of 1383.1 won.

Yonhap