Korea’s KOSPI Opens Up 1.9% as Japanese Markets Stay Closed

Seoul's firm open stands out mainly because it is happening while Tokyo is dark, leaving Korean equities to price regional risk without the usual anchor of Japanese trading. That gap matters for how much of the move reflects genuine local demand versus thin, headline-driven positioning. The open question is whether the gain holds once Tokyo resumes and cross-market flows normalize — a lone session in one market, with the region's other major venue shut, is a weak basis for reading broader sentiment.