SK Hynix Overtakes Samsung Electronics as Top KOSPI Stock After 25 Years

SK Hynix has expanded its gains during intraday trading, surpassing Samsung Electronics' common stock to become the company with the largest market capitalization on the KOSPI.

This marks a change in the KOSPI throne for the first time in 25 years and 7 months.

According to data from the Korea Exchange, as of 12:51 p.m. today (June 22), SK Hynix's market capitalization reached 2,084.65 trillion won.

At the same time, its market cap exceeded that of Samsung Electronics, which stood at 2,084.20 trillion won, by 456.1 billion won, propelling SK Hynix to the number one spot on the KOSPI.

Samsung Electronics first reached the top spot in the domestic stock market on July 29, 1999. Since then, despite various fluctuations, it had not once relinquished the top position since November 21, 2000.

While both "two-top" companies of the domestic stock market, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, have seen their stock prices soar based on strong semiconductor demand driven by AI investments, SK Hynix has recorded a relatively higher growth rate this year, leading to the shift in market cap rankings.

Samsung Electronics' stock price has surged by nearly 200% this year, but SK Hynix has shown an even steeper rise, climbing over 340% during the same period.

As SK Hynix's stock price climbed sharply, a photoshopped image circulated online depicting SK Chairman Chey Tae-won as if he had published a book titled, "Those Who Do Not Own Hynix Are All Guilty."

This is a parody of the title of an essay collection by writer Noh Hee-kyung, "Those Who Do Not Love Are All Guilty," and is a meme that humorously expresses the sentiment of investors who failed to hold SK Hynix stock during the rapid rally.

As of 1:40 p.m. today, SK Hynix's stock price is up by more than 3%, while Samsung Electronics is down by over 1%.

However, if Samsung Electronics' preferred shares, which amount to 184 trillion won, are included, the total market capitalization of Samsung Electronics remains larger.

The combined market capitalization of Samsung Electronics and its preferred shares exceeds 2,268 trillion won, which is approximately 109% of SK Hynix's market cap.

Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Lee Da-in | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.