(LEAD) Seoul shares start sharply higher on tech gains led by Micron's strong earnings (opens original article in a new tab)

South Korean stocks rose sharply on Thursday, driven by semiconductor gains following Micron's strong earnings report, which led to a 5.61% increase in the KOSPI. The bourse operator halted program trading after the index surged 5%.

• South Korean stocks opened sharply higher due to semiconductor gains
• Micron's strong earnings report boosted investor sentiment
• Seoul's bourse operator halted program trading for five minutes