South Korean stocks started a tad higher on Thursday on foreign buying, analysts said.

After opening 0.08 percent higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 0.34 points, or 0.02 percent, to 1,826.73 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics gained 0.36 percent and its smaller electronics rival LG Electronics rose 1 percent.

Leading carmaker Hyundai Motor lost 0.67 percent on reports that its labor union will go strike.

The local currency was trading at 1,141.6 won to the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., down 0.7 won from Wednesday's close. (Yonhap News)