Svmuu News: The first half of the year has officially come to a close for the stock markets in Japan and South Korea. South Korea’s KOSPI index closed up about 1% today, while Japan’s stock market closed up about 0.9%. Driven primarily by demand for AI memory chips, the South Korean stock market posted a cumulative gain of about 100% in the first half of the year, repeatedly setting new intraday highs and briefly touching an all-time high of 9,385. The two tech giants, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, have risen by approximately 180% and 310%, respectively, so far this year. Driven by multiple factors—including corporate reforms, AI, and a booming semiconductor industry—the Nikkei 225 Index has risen by about 40% year-to-date, while the TOPIX Index has gained approximately 17%. with technology stocks serving as the main driving force. Advantest, a chip testing equipment manufacturer, has risen by about 65% this year, while Tokyo Electron, a chip manufacturing equipment maker, has surged by over 120%. (Jin Shi)