The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) saw its sharpest rise in more than two months Thursday, climbing 26-point-03 points, or one-point-33 percent, to finish at one-thousand-988-point-91.
 
The rise came as the minutes of a U.S. Federal Open Market Committee meeting were released, revealing that its members largely agreed that the pace of a rate hike should be gradual. 

The tech-laden KOSDAQ also saw gains, adding nine-point-90 points, or one-point-48 percent, to 680-point-57.

On the Seoul foreign exchange market, the local currency appreciated ten-point-five won against the U.S. dollar, to close at one-thousand-161-point-seven won.