KOSPI Hits Historic 6,700 Milestone Amid AI-Driven Market Surge: Key Stocks to Watch
Seoul, South Korea — The Korean Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shattered records on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, soaring past the 6,700 mark for the first time in history. The milestone, driven by a wave of investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor technologies, has sent ripples through global markets, with analysts pointing to a handful of high-potential stocks as the driving force behind the rally. Among the standout performers are Kolon TissueGene, Duksan Neolux, and Ormic Therapeutics, companies at the forefront of biotechnology, advanced materials, and AI-driven healthcare innovations.
The surge reflects broader optimism about South Korea’s role in the AI revolution, particularly in sectors like semiconductors, where the country is a global leader. “This isn’t just a short-term spike—it’s a structural shift,” said a senior analyst at Bloomberg, who requested anonymity due to company policy. “Investors are betting big on companies that are either directly powering AI infrastructure or leveraging AI to disrupt traditional industries.”
For retail and institutional investors alike, the question now is: which stocks are poised to benefit most from this “AI wind” (AI 훈풍, as it’s being called in Korean markets)? Below, we break down the key players, their recent performance, and the factors fueling their growth.
Kolon TissueGene: The Biotech Darling Riding High on FDA Approval Hopes
Few stocks have captured investor imagination quite like Kolon TissueGene (KOSDAQ: 950160), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in cell and gene therapies. The company’s flagship product, Invossa (TissueGene-C), is the world’s first cell-mediated gene therapy for osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease affecting over 300 million people globally. After years of regulatory hurdles, Kolon TissueGene is now on the cusp of a major breakthrough: the completion of its U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Phase 3 clinical trials, with a potential market launch slated for 2028.
Shares of Kolon TissueGene have skyrocketed by over 114% since the start of 2026, catapulting the company into the top 10 of the KOSDAQ by market capitalization. As of April 28, 2026, the stock was trading at ₩106,200 per share, up from ₩49,600 at the beginning of the year, according to data from the Korea Exchange. The surge has been fueled by a combination of strong clinical results, strategic employee stock options, and aggressive buying by foreign and institutional investors, who have poured a combined ₩302.86 billion ($225 million) into the stock since January.
Kolon TissueGene’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. In 2019, the company faced a Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) decision to revoke its domestic approval for Invossa, citing manufacturing issues. The setback sent the stock into a tailspin, nearly triggering a delisting. However, Kolon TissueGene regrouped, secured new funding, and resumed trading in October 2022. Since then, the company has focused on its U.S. Clinical trials, where it has reported promising Phase 2 results, including significant pain reduction and improved joint function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
“The FDA’s potential approval of Invossa would be a game-changer not just for Kolon TissueGene, but for the entire field of regenerative medicine,” said Dr. Hyun-Jae Kang, a biotechnology analyst at Nature Research. “If successful, it could pave the way for similar therapies targeting other degenerative diseases, from Parkinson’s to Alzheimer’s.”
Duksan Neolux: The Semiconductor Materials Play Powering AI Chips
Although Kolon TissueGene dominates headlines for its biotech innovations, Duksan Neolux (KRX: 008060) is quietly emerging as a critical player in the AI hardware ecosystem. The company, a subsidiary of Duksan Hi-Metal, specializes in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) materials and semiconductor packaging solutions, both of which are essential for the next generation of AI chips and high-performance computing devices.
Duksan Neolux’s stock has surged by 42% in 2026 alone, outperforming broader market indices. The rally is tied to the company’s strategic pivot toward AI-related applications, including advanced thermal interface materials (TIMs) and underfill resins, which are used to enhance the durability and efficiency of semiconductor chips. As AI chips become more powerful—and more heat-intensive—demand for these materials is expected to skyrocket.
“Duksan Neolux is uniquely positioned to benefit from the AI boom,” said a report from McKinsey & Company. “Their materials are already used in some of the most advanced AI chips on the market, and their R&D pipeline is focused on next-generation solutions for 3D chip stacking and heterogeneous integration—key technologies for the future of AI hardware.”
The company’s recent partnership with SK Hynix, one of the world’s largest memory chipmakers, has further bolstered investor confidence. Under the collaboration, Duksan Neolux is supplying materials for SK Hynix’s high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, which are critical for AI training and inference tasks. With SK Hynix reporting record profits in Q1 2026 amid soaring AI chip demand, Duksan Neolux is poised to ride the wave of this growth.
Ormic Therapeutics: The Dark Horse in AI-Driven Drug Discovery
Rounding out the trio of stocks to watch is Ormic Therapeutics, a biotech startup leveraging AI to accelerate drug discovery. While still a smaller player compared to Kolon TissueGene and Duksan Neolux, Ormic has garnered attention for its innovative use of generative AI models to identify novel drug candidates for rare diseases. The company’s platform, OrmicAI, uses machine learning to analyze vast datasets of biological and chemical information, significantly reducing the time and cost required to bring new drugs to market.
Ormic Therapeutics went public in late 2025 via a reverse merger, and its stock has since more than tripled in value, reflecting investor enthusiasm for AI-driven biotech. The company’s most advanced candidate, ORM-101, is a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a devastating neurodegenerative disease with no known cure. Ormic expects to begin Phase 1 clinical trials for ORM-101 in the second half of 2026, with preliminary results anticipated by early 2027.
“What sets Ormic apart is its ability to integrate AI into every stage of the drug discovery process,” said a study published in Nature Biotechnology. “From target identification to lead optimization, their platform is designed to uncover drug candidates that might have been overlooked by traditional methods.”
The company’s recent collaboration with Pfizer to develop AI-driven therapies for autoimmune diseases has further validated its approach. While Ormic remains a high-risk, high-reward investment, its potential to disrupt the pharmaceutical industry has made it a favorite among growth-focused investors.
Why These Stocks Matter in the Broader AI Ecosystem
The KOSPI’s historic rise isn’t just about numbers—it’s a reflection of South Korea’s strategic positioning in the global AI race. The country is home to some of the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturers, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, as well as a burgeoning biotech sector that is increasingly integrating AI into its research and development pipelines. The stocks highlighted above represent three distinct but interconnected facets of this ecosystem:
- Kolon TissueGene: A bet on the future of regenerative medicine, where AI is being used to optimize cell and gene therapies.
- Duksan Neolux: A play on the hardware side of AI, where advanced materials are critical for next-generation chips.
- Ormic Therapeutics: A pure AI-driven biotech play, where machine learning is accelerating drug discovery.
For investors, the key takeaway is that the AI revolution isn’t just about the usual suspects like NVIDIA or Microsoft. It’s also about the companies enabling the infrastructure, the materials, and the innovations that will power AI’s next phase of growth. As the KOSPI continues to climb, these stocks are likely to remain in the spotlight.
What’s Next for Investors?
While the KOSPI’s record-breaking performance is cause for optimism, analysts caution that the market remains volatile, particularly as global central banks weigh interest rate cuts and geopolitical tensions persist. For those looking to capitalize on the AI-driven rally, experts recommend a balanced approach:
- Diversify across sectors: While semiconductors and biotech are leading the charge, other industries—such as renewable energy and robotics—are also benefiting from AI advancements.
- Focus on fundamentals: Companies with strong balance sheets, clear revenue streams, and proven R&D pipelines are better positioned to weather market fluctuations.
- Monitor regulatory developments: For biotech firms like Kolon TissueGene and Ormic Therapeutics, FDA approvals and clinical trial results will be critical catalysts in the coming months.
The next major milestone for Kolon TissueGene will be the release of its FDA Phase 3 trial data, expected in late 2026. For Duksan Neolux, investors will be watching the company’s Q2 earnings report, due in July, for signs of continued growth in its AI-related materials business. Ormic Therapeutics, meanwhile, is set to announce the start of its Phase 1 trials for ORM-101 in the coming weeks.
As the KOSPI continues to ride the “AI wind,” one thing is clear: the companies at the intersection of technology and innovation are the ones to watch. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or a newcomer to the market, keeping an eye on these stocks could be the key to navigating the next phase of the AI revolution.
Key Takeaways
- KOSPI milestone: The index surpassed 6,700 for the first time on April 28, 2026, driven by AI and semiconductor enthusiasm.
- Kolon TissueGene: Up 114% in 2026, the biotech firm is poised for FDA approval of its osteoarthritis therapy, Invossa, in 2028.
- Duksan Neolux: A 42% gain in 2026 reflects growing demand for its semiconductor materials, critical for AI chip manufacturing.
- Ormic Therapeutics: The AI-driven biotech startup has tripled in value since its 2025 IPO, with Phase 1 trials for its ALS drug expected in late 2026.
- Investor strategy: Diversify across AI-related sectors, focus on companies with strong fundamentals, and monitor regulatory and clinical trial developments.
Have you invested in any of these stocks? What’s your take on the KOSPI’s historic rally? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to follow World Today Journal for the latest updates on global markets and the AI revolution.