Hitting new highs multiple times, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have risen approximately 180% and 310% respectively this year

Odaily Planet Daily News: The first half of the year officially concluded for the Japanese and South Korean stock markets. South Korea's KOSPI index closed up about 1% today, while Japan's stock market closed up approximately 0.9%. Driven mainly by AI memory chip demand, the South Korean stock market accumulated a gain of about 100% in the first half of the year, hitting new highs multiple times and once touching an all-time high of 9385. The two tech giants, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, have risen approximately 180% and 310% respectively this year. Fueled by factors such as corporate reforms, AI, and the booming semiconductor supply chain, Japan's Nikkei 225 index has accumulated gains of about 40% this year, while the Topix index has risen about 17%. Tech stocks have been the main driving force, with chip testing equipment manufacturer Advantest rising about 65% this year and chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron surging over 120%. (Jin Shi)