In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI hit an all-time high of 6,355.39 during morning trading, breaking the previous intraday record set on Feb. 27, while the junior KOSDAQ edged down 0.03 percent to 1,174.52.
Shareholder returns are gaining momentum. Total cash dividends by KOSPI-listed firms reached a record high of 35.1 trillion won ($24 billion) in 2025, up 15.5 percent from 2024, with payout ratios rising to a five-year high of 39.83 percent.
Firms participating in the government's value-up program — an initiative aimed at enhancing corporate value and shareholder returns — accounted for 87.7 percent of total dividends, while companies that pay higher dividends made up nearly two-thirds of the total.
Large-cap stocks mostly traded higher. Among semiconductor-related shares, Samsung Electronics rose 1.98 percent to 218,750 won, and SK hynix jumped 4.80 percent to 1,222,000 won, as brokerages raised target prices on expectations of stronger second-quarter earnings.
Hyundai Motor climbed 1.90 percent to 537,000 won and Kia added 1.08 percent to 159,100 won.
Battery and energy stocks posted strong gains, with LG Energy Solution surging 8.86 percent to 467,000 won, Samsung SDI advancing 9.12 percent to 742,000 won and Doosan Enerbility rising 2.61 percent to 113,900 won.
However, Samsung Biologics fell 1.00 percent to 1,589,000 won and Hanwha Aerospace slipped 0.49 percent to 1,418,000 won. Financial shares were mixed, with KB Financial edging down 0.37 percent to 160,300 won, while Samsung Life Insurance rose 0.49 percent to 254,750 won and Samsung C&T added 1.17 percent to 303,500 won.
Among the KOSDAQ stocks, EcoPro rose 3.98 percent to 161,800 won and EcoPro BM gained 3.81 percent to 218,000 won. Samchundang Pharm also edged up 0.52 percent to 480,000 won, and HLB added 1.27 percent to 64,000 won.
On the downside, Alteogen slipped 0.27 percent to 370,500 won and Rainbow Robotics fell 1.15 percent to 601,000 won. L&F edged down 0.26 percent to 116,300 won, and ABELBIO declined 1.25 percent to 158,200 won. Cosmo Advanced Materials dropped 5.47 percent to 102,000 won, and Ligachem Biosciences lost 2.15 percent to 195,700 won.
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.06 percent to 59,445.90, extending recent gains. The boost also came from expectations that the Bank of Japan may delay further rate hikes. The central bank is likely to pause additional tightening at its upcoming meeting in Tokyo next week.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index also edged up 0.17 percent to 26,406.89, while China's Shanghai Composite Index the only major index to slip, edging down 0.25 percent to 4,071.95 in early trading.
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