South Korean chip stocks surge 222% as Samsung and SK Hynix rebound

South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix saw sharp stock gains Wednesday after the country reported a 222.5% surge in semiconductor exports, signaling robust demand following a recent selloff. SK Hynix rose 7.11% to 1.31 million won, while Samsung gained 5.56% to 223,250 won in morning trading. The KOSPI index climbed 3.28%, recovering part of Tuesday's 3.73% drop. Foreign investors bought a net 197.3 billion won of Korean shares, reversing earlier selling pressure. South Korea exported a record $27.5 billion in semiconductors during the first 20 days of October, with chips accounting for 44.7% of total exports. Analysts note Samsung trades at about 3.5 times forward earnings and SK Hynix at 2.8 times, below historical cycle lows, though risks remain from potential supply increases or delayed AI investments.