South Korean stocks started a tad higher Tuesday on speculation that Greece would return to negotiations with creditors, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 4.78 points, or 0.23 percent, to 2,058.71 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said earlier that his government is ready to start talks with creditors while leaders of Germany and France will meet other eurozone leaders Wednesday.

Shares of Samsung Group affiliates led the increase. Samsung Electronics, the world's leading handset maker, edged up 0.16 percent following its second-quarter earnings forecast. Cheil Industries, the group's de facto holding company, added 1.41 percent.

Top pharmaceutical firm Hanmi Pharm jumped 4.39 percent, and its holding company Hanmi Science rose 1.64 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,126.4 won against the dollar in Seoul as of 9:15 a.m., up 0.1 won from Monday's close. (Yonhap)