South Korean stocks opened higher Friday, driven by gains in large-cap chemical companies and steelmarkers, analysts said.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 3.35 points, or 0.17 percent to 2,025.91 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Leading chemical and material producer LG Chem climbed 0.7 percent, with major steelmaker Hyundai Steel soaring more than 4 percent.

Utilities and logistics, in contrast, lost ground. State-run power supplier Korea Electric Power Corp. fell 1.5 percent and Hyundai Glovis shed 0.7 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,105.00 won against the dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 3.0 won from Thursday's close. (Yonhap)