South Korean stocks started higher Tuesday as auto shares rallied following strong October sales data, pushing up the broader market.
  

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 12.12 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,047.36 in the first 15 minutes of trading.       
  

Auto shares traded bullish after data showed Monday that Korean carmakers' sales expanded 8.7 percent in October from a year earlier on robust demand at home and abroad.
  

Top automaker Hyundai Motor rose 3.15 percent, and its sister company Kia Motors increased 3.59 percent.
  

The local currency was trading at 1,136.1 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 0.9 won from Monday's close. (Yonhap)