South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index surged past 5,900 points for the first time on record, fueled by a sustained rally in technology stocks, before experiencing a pullback due to profit-taking, according to reports from KBS WORLD Radio and MarketScreener Deutschland.
The KOSPI’s ascent, which saw a 50% increase in value, has drawn attention from international investors, particularly regarding the potential for a market correction. The index closed at 5,903.23 on February 26, 2026, before retreating slightly on February 27, 2026, according to multiple sources.
The Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X ETF (KORU), a leveraged exchange-traded fund designed to deliver three times the daily performance of the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index, has mirrored the KOSPI’s gains. As of the close of trading on February 27, 2026, KORU was trading at $630.00, up 1.66% for the day, and $645.00 in after-hours trading, a 2.38% increase. The ETF has total assets of $1.15 billion and an expense ratio of 1.32%, according to Direxion and stockanalysis.com.
The top holdings of KORU are heavily weighted towards the iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY), representing 51.10% of the fund’s assets, as of February 26, 2026, according to Morningstar data. Dreyfus Government Cash Management and Goldman Financial Square Treasury Institutional similarly hold significant positions, accounting for 24.94% and 16.16% respectively. Multiple holdings of iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF Swap also comprise a substantial portion of the fund.
KORU’s performance over the past year has been exceptional, delivering a total return of 1,214.30%, including dividends. The fund distributed a dividend of $1.47514 on December 23, 2025, and has a trailing twelve-month dividend yield of 0.26%, according to fund data. The fund’s beta is 3.38, indicating a higher level of volatility compared to the broader market.
The fund, launched on April 11, 2013, by Direxion, provides leveraged exposure to large- and mid-cap South Korean companies. Even though, Direxion cautions that there is no guarantee the fund will achieve its stated investment objective.