South Korean stocks opened almost flat Friday as investors took a wait-and-see approach ahead of U.S.

Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting slated for next week, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) moved down 2.23 points, or 0.12 percent, to 1,907.38 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Carmakers traded mixed, with Kia Motors advancing 0.16 percent and top auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis remaining unchanged. No. 1 player Hyundai Motor also stayed flat.

Market behemoth Samsung Electronics also traded unchanged despite the company's claims that its second-quarter profit spiked 49.6 percent from a year earlier, buoyed by robust shipments of its flagship Galaxy S smartphones and higher chip prices.

The local currency was trading at 1,112.70 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 3.40 won from Thursday's close. (Yonhap News)