Lee Jae-myung's Past KOSPI 5,000 Prediction Becomes Reality

The KOSPI index broke through the 5,000-point level during intraday trading on January 22, 2026. This followed the 4,000-point milestone reached on October 27, 2025. By February 25, 2026, the index had surged past 6,000 points, marking a new all-time high. The prediction by Lee Jae-myung, then a presidential primary candidate, in April 2025 of the KOSPI reaching between 4,000 and 5,000 points has now materialized.

The strong performance of semiconductor companies served as the primary driver for the KOSPI's ascent. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix alone accounted for 60% of the estimated 450 trillion won in net profit projected for KOSPI-listed companies this year.

Amidst the index's surge, individual investors experienced mixed fortunes. Despite the KOSPI setting record highs, not all investors profited. Kim Bum-jun, a full-time investor who quit his job three years ago, achieved substantial gains, earning tens of millions of won this year through semiconductor stocks purchased at around 200,000 won and sold at 600,000 won. Kim increased his allocation to domestic stocks to 70% as the KOSPI climbed above 4,000 points.

Some individuals began investing in stocks in the latter half of last year, coinciding with the KOSPI's breach of 4,000 points, but stock performance varied significantly. Of the 950 KOSPI-listed companies, just over half saw their stock prices rise this year. Among the bottom 50% by market capitalization, more companies experienced stock price declines than increases, even as the KOSPI surged by over 110%. This disparity indicates that the benefits of the index's rise were not evenly distributed across all stocks, primarily due to profits being concentrated in specific industries.