South Korean stocks opened slightly lower Monday with major techs and autos suffering heavy losses.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 3.86 points, or 0.20 percent, to 1,923.42 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Large caps traded mixed.

Market kingpin Samsung Electronics lost 0.21 percent, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix plunged 3.17 percent.

Leading carmaker Hyundai Motor slipped 0.87 percent, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors losing 0.34 percent.

Pharmaceuticals were in positive terrain with local industry leader Samsung BioLogics adding 0.83 percent and Celltrion spiking 0.92 percent.

The local currency fell against the US dollar, trading at 1,232.15 won per dollar, down 1.15 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)