South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street that stemmed from expectations for strong corporate earnings.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) rose 14.33 points, or 0.47 percent, to 3,034.87 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite added 0.9 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.18 percent.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.43 percent to 70,500 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix advanced 2 percent to 102,000 won on robust third-quarter earnings.

Leading car battery firm LG Chem increased 1.58 percent to 834,000 won, and Hyundai Motor, the country's largest carmaker, moved up 0.24 percent at 211,500 won.

Pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics slipped 0.11 percent to 876,000 won.

The local currency was trading at 1,168.35 won against the US dollar, up 0.05 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)