South Korean stocks surged to a record high on Tuesday, with the benchmark KOSPI (Korea Composite Stock Price Index) climbing nearly 2 percent to 6,342.76, surpassing its previous record set in February. The rally came as investors monitored a looming deadline for a two-week ceasefire in the U.S.-Iran war, with President Donald Trump warning the pause would likely not be extended if no deal is reached by Wednesday evening Washington time — a warning complicated by Iran's foreign ministry stating there were no plans for talks. Major blue-chip stocks led the gains, including chipmaker SK Hynix, up 3.86 percent, and battery maker LG Energy Solution, which jumped over 8 percent, though analysts noted that corporate earnings results were also helping guide market sentiment.