South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, as investors digested US President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs on American steel and aluminum imports.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 11.1 points, or 0.44 percent, to 2,532.37 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
On Monday, Trump officially announced a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States.
Trump plans to unveil "reciprocal" tariffs later this week, which will take effect almost immediately.
Despite the news, US shares finished higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.38 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite advanced 0.98 percent.
In Seoul, top-cap shares opened mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 0.54 percent, while chip giant SK hynix added 0.25 percent.
Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution surged 1.95 percent.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor increased 0.8 percent, but its sister affiliate Kia inched down 0.11 percent.
Major bio shares gathered ground. Samsung Biologics climbed 1.95 percent, and Celltrion grew 0.56 percent.
Steelmakers opened lower. No. 1 steelmaker Posco Holdings slid 0.42 percent, and Hyundai Steel went down 0.46 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,453.45 won against the greenback at 9:15 a.m., down 2.25 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)
