Seoul shares opened slightly lower Monday despite strong gains on Wall Street last week and a record-setting performance in the local market.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index edged down 5.56 points, or 0.15 percent, to 3,743.33 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Last week, the KOSPI hit new record highs, rising 3.8 percent overall.
US shares also ended higher Friday, as investors assessed US President Donald Trump's latest remarks on China. The S&P 500 rose 0.5 percent, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite climbed 0.5 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 238 points.
In Seoul, most large-cap shares traded mixed.
Chip giant Samsung Electronics fell 1.53 percent, snapping a three-day winning streak, while rival SK hynix gained 0.64 percent, extending its four-day rally.
Defense giant Hanwha Aerospace increased 3.29 percent.
In contrast, leading battery maker LG Energy Solution went down 1.84 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,422.4 won against the greenback as of 9:15 a.m., down 1.2 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
