Korean stocks started higher Tuesday on strong sentiment in New York.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 7.25 points, or 0.37 percent, to 1,985.40 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Top market cap Samsung Electronics rose 0.56 percent, and industry frontrunner Hyundai Motor gained 0.35 percent.

State-run Korea Electric Power Corp. added 0.16 percent and leading steelmaker POSCO was up 0.66 percent. 

On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 117.52 points, or 0.66 percent, to 17,891.16.

Korea's won was trading at 1,136.85 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.95 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)