South Korean stocks opened higher Monday led by gains of big-cap tech shares.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 8.86 points, or 0.36 percent, to 2,450.78 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Retail investors were on a buying mode, offsetting selling by foreigners and institutions.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose 0.37 percent, and chip giant SK hynix soared 3.9 percent.
Top steelmaker POSCO Holdings gained 0.39 percent, and internet platform giant Naver jumped 2.99 percent.
But leading battery maker LG Energy Solution inched down 0.14 percent, and leading chemicals producer LG opened unchanged.
Carmakers opened lower. Top automaker Hyundai Motor sank 1.88 percent, and its sister affiliate Kia lost 0.89 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,474.35 won against the greenback at 9:15 a.m., down 5.95 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)
