Samsung Electronics reached a historic milestone as its market value exceeded KRW600 trillion (US$420 billion) for the first time, driven by a sharp rebound in the global memory market. The Samsung Group's total valuation is now nearing an unprecedented KRW1,000 trillion.
Reports from Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Daily attribute Samsung's soaring valuation to the ongoing memory supercycle and recent gains in chip yield.
The positive outlook also propelled South Korea's KOSPI index beyond the symbolic 4,000-point level, marking what local media described as a "dream era" for the market.
Memory demand fuels stock surge
Leading the KOSPI's momentum, Samsung's shares briefly surpassed KRW100,000 for the first time. Analysts point to stronger memory demand and the company's improving competitiveness in HBM, a key technology for AI servers and data centers. SK Hynix, the dominant HBM supplier, also saw its shares rally to new highs as investors doubled down on AI-fueled chip demand.
Trade optimism lifts markets
Analysts note that Wall Street's rally and rising optimism over upcoming US-China trade talks have strengthened investor confidence. Anticipation is growing ahead of the APEC Summit in Gyeongju, where US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet, raising hopes of easing trade tensions.
Lee's leadership drives partnerships
Adding to the momentum, Chairman Lee Jae-yong recently marked his third year at the helm. Following the resolution of his legal issues, Lee has stepped up global collaborations with Tesla, Apple, and OpenAI—moves viewed as key drivers behind Samsung's continued market strength.
Samsung's preliminary third-quarter 2025 results, released in early October 2025, showed record revenue of KRW86 trillion and operating profit of KRW12.1 trillion—both exceeding market forecasts and reinforcing the momentum of the memory-led recovery.
Article translated by Levi Li and edited by Jerry Chen
