Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) Surges 5% to Record, Kospi Tops 5,000 on AI Optimism

Samsung Electronics shares jumped 5% to an all-time high on January 22, 2026, propelling South Korea's Kospi index above 5,000 for the first time as artificial intelligence optimism dominated the World Economic Forum in Davos. The rally followed Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's bullish remarks on AI infrastructure demand, fueling investor appetite for semiconductor stocks. Samsung, the world's largest memory chipmaker, reached a historic peak and contributed substantially to the Kospi's milestone breakthrough. The gains underscore growing conviction that AI spending will sustain memory chip demand through 2026, with Korean technology shares leading Asia's equity markets higher.