Seoul shares extended their record‑breaking rally on Monday, closing above the four‑thousand‑600‑point threshold for the first time on strong gains in defense and battery stocks.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) rose 38‑point‑47 points, or zero‑point‑84 percent, to finish at four‑thousand‑624‑point‑79, marking the first time the main bourse has closed above the four‑thousand‑600 mark.

The previous closing record was four‑thousand‑586‑point‑32, posted on Friday. The KOSPI has climbed nearly ten percent so far this year, setting new closing highs throughout the month.

Trading was heavy, with 382‑point‑four million shares worth 22‑point‑eight trillion won, about 15 billion U.S. dollars, changing hands. Advancers outnumbered decliners 530 to 348.

Analysts said defense stocks were buoyed by recent reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering military options in Iran.

Defense and battery shares led the gains, with LIG Nex1 up three‑point‑32 percent to 560‑thousand won and Korea Aerospace Industries rising two‑point‑74 percent to 153‑thousand‑900 won.

LG Energy Solution jumped four‑point‑41 percent to 379‑thousand won, while POSCO Future M surged six‑point‑88 percent to 188‑thousand won. Doosan Enerbility climbed four‑point‑63 percent to 88‑thousand‑100 won.

Hyundai Motor inched up zero‑point‑27 percent to 367‑thousand won.

Samsung Electronics slipped zero‑point‑14 percent to 138‑thousand‑800 won, while SK hynix added zero‑point‑67 percent to 749‑thousand won.
 
 
The tech-heavy KOSDAQ inched up one-point-89 points, or zero-point-two percent, to close at 949-point-81.

The South Korean won weakened against the U.S. dollar by ten-point-eight won, trading at one-thousand-468-point-four won as of 3:30 p.m.