By Cho Hyung-kwon
Staff Reporter

The stock market made a positive return after the three-day Lunar New Year’s holidays to close at its highest level in more than 20 months as active foreign buying pushed equities higher.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 7.67 points, or 0.89 percent, to 869.04 _ the highest since closing at 865.78 on May 20, 2002.

Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Kosdaq added 2.55 points, or 0.57 percent, to 448.25 on its first day operating on a new index with a base value of 1,000 points.

Samsung Electronics added 3.61 percent to 545,000 won, a new historic high, while SK Corp. jumped 4.23 percent to 35,700 won, LG Electronics gained 3.57 percent to 69,500 won and SK Telecom put on 3.01 percent to 222,000 won.

KT, POSCO, Hana Bank and Korea Electric Power Corp. also closed higher.

Shinhan Financial Group lost 2.23 percent to 19,650 won, Kookmin Bank slid 1.82 percent to 48,400 won and Kia Motors fell 1.25 percent to 11,800 won.

Foreign investors chalked up more than 535 billion won of shares and retail investors added 81 billion won of stocks, but institutional investors unloaded 529 billion won of shares.

Falling issues outnumbered gainers by a ratio of four to three on trading of 488 million shares.

On the Kosdaq market, Internet-related issues closed stronger led by Webzen, Auction, NHN and Daum Communications. KTF was up 2.57 percent to 21,900 won.

Asiana Airlines, Hanaro Telecom, LG Home Shopping, LG Telecom and CJ Home Shopping finished in negative territory.

Declining issues edged past advancers while the trade volume stood at 281 million shares.

kevincho@koreatimes.co.kr