South Korean stocks ended mixed on Aug 21, with the benchmark Kospi rising 60.37 points, or 0.88%, to 6,912.95, as heavyweight chipmakers rallied on expectations of large-scale shareholder return programmes. The tech-heavy Kosdaq, however, plunged 4.63% to 801.94.
Samsung Electronics climbed 3.87% to 281,500 won, while SK hynix advanced 2.31% to 1.73 million won, helping the Kospi reverse early losses and reclaim the 6,900 level.
Other major gainers included Samsung Life Insurance, which surged 10.61%, Samsung C&T with a 5.75% gain, and KB Financial, up 2.69%.
The broader market was less upbeat. LG Energy Solution fell 4.05%, Samsung Electro-Mechanics dropped 5.73% and Samsung Biologics lost 1.46%, while Hyundai Motor eased 0.6%.
On the Kosdaq, selling was widespread, with EcoPro BM falling 7.45%, EcoPro down 7.26% and Alteogen losing 5.74%, underscoring the sharp divergence between large-cap chip stocks and growth shares.
