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Kospi opens higher amid hopes for easing Mideast tensions

Published: 20 Mar. 2026, 09:42

A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the Kospi opening on March 20. [NEWS1]

Korean shares opened almost 1 percent higher Friday amid hopes the U.S. and Israel-led war against Iran, weighing heavily on global financial markets, may end sooner than expected.

The Kospi rose 53.89 points, or 0.94 percent, to 5,817.11 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.44 percent lower, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite lost 0.28 percent, and the S&P 500 dropped 0.27 percent but pared most of their earlier losses after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said its war against Iran may end a lot faster than people think and that U.S. President Donald Trump has requested no further attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure.

Earlier this week, Israel attacked the South Pars gas field, Iran's largest, and Iran hit back with a strike on a major liquefied natural gas site in Qatar.

In Seoul, top-cap shares started mixed.

Market top-cap Samsung Electronics edged up 0.25 percent, and its chipmaking rival SK hynix went up 0.39 percent.

Auto giant Hyundai Motor gained 0.57 percent, and its sister Kia added 0.35 percent.

Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution rose 1.35 percent, and power plant manufacturer Doosan Enerbility climbed 1.41 percent.

A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the Kospi opening on March 20. [NEWS1]

Major bio firm Samsung Biologics advanced 1.64 percent, and Celltrion increased 0.99 percent.

Financial shares were also strong, with Shinhan Financial Group up 1.87 percent and Mirae Asset Securities jumping 3 percent.

On the other hand, defense giant Hanwha Aerospace dipped 2.91 percent.

Major shipbuilders HD Hyundai Heavy and Hanwha Ocean lost 0.88 percent and 0.69 percent, respectively.

The won strengthened by 12.9 won from the previous session to trade at 1,488.1 against the dollar at 9:15 a.m.

On Thursday, the won hit a new 17-year low, weakening past the psychologically and technically critical 1,500-per-dollar level.

Yonhap