South Korean shares opened higher Tuesday as most heavyweight stocks gained ground over healthy outlooks for their earnings. 

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 6.09 points, or 0.28 percent, to 2,163.10 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Most large caps traded higher, with market kingpin Samsung Electronics rising 0.38 percent.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor gained 1.6 percent, and top steelmaker POSCO edged up 0.17 percent.

Naver, the operator of the country's top Internet portal, climbed 1.22 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,115.25 won against the US dollar, up 4.85 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)