South Korean stocks started higher Monday on the back of gains in retailers and construction shares.
  

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 5.92 points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,955.78 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
  

Retailers gained ground, with Lotte Shopping rising 0.9 percent and GS Retail climbing 1.68 percent. Samsung C&T, the trading unit of Samsung Group, shot up 5.32 percent.
  

Builders also opened bullish, with Hyundai Engineering & Construction moving up 1.84 percent and Daewoo Engineering & Construction increasing 1.11 percent. Daelim Industrial rose 1.92 percent.
  

The local currency was trading at 1,155.20 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., down 0.9 won from Friday's close. (Yonhap)