South Korea's stock market, the Kospi, reached a record high in May 2026. The index hit 8,880, which is 220% higher than last year. This growth is because of artificial intelligence (AI). AI needs special computer chips, so semiconductor companies are making a lot of money. For example, SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics are now very big companies. SK Hynix saw its share price grow by 1,000% in one year. Samsung Electronics saw a 500% increase.
Because of this AI boom, Samsung is giving big bonuses to its workers. The company will use 10.5% of its profits from the chip business to pay them. Many reports say these bonuses are about 500,000,000 Korean Won for each worker. Most workers, about 74%, voted for this plan. This agreement helps to keep workers happy and avoids strikes.
However, the economy has some problems. While the tech sector is doing well, other jobs are disappearing. The total number of workers in South Korea fell to 29.12 million in May. This is the first time the number of jobs dropped in 17 months. The manufacturing sector is struggling the most. It lost 140,000 jobs in May compared to last year. Manufacturing jobs have fallen for 23 months in a row. This shows a big gap between high-tech workers and traditional factory workers. The country is now the sixth largest stock market in the world.