South Korean stocks started lower Monday as demand for risky assets fell after the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Indexshed 23.13 points, or 1.17 percent, to 1,950.16 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Believed to be Islam-related terror attacks, the incidents in the French capital Friday night (Paris time) left more than 100 dead, with hundreds more injured.

Tech shares led the decline, with top tech behemoth Samsung Electronics falling 1 percent and global chipmaker SK hynix sliding

1.28 percent. LG Electronics and LG Display also plunged 1.46 percent and 2.33 percent, respectively.

Carmakers were also major losers, with Hyundai Mobis dropping 0.81 percent and Kia Motors moving down 0.88 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,173.25 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., down 9.45 won from Friday's close. (Yonhap)