South Korean shares opened higher Tuesday, extending gains after hitting a nine-month high a day earlier, on the back of overnight gains on Wall Street.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 2.43 points, or 0.12 percent, to 2,046.21 in the first 15 minutes of trading.


Large caps traded mixed with market kingpin Samsung Electronics gaining 0.32 percent. Major chipmaker SK hynix fell 0.57 percent.

Naver, the country's biggest Internet portal, rose 1.32 percent.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor was flat, and its affiliate Kia Motors inched down 0.48 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,101.65 won against the U.S. dollar, up 4.45 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)