South Korean shares opened slightly higher Friday, as foreign investors remained net buyers of local stocks.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 3.44 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,176.16 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Sentiment appeared to be subdued following a decline on Wall Street overnight after a delay in the US health care vote that is seen as a test of US President Donald Trump's ability to deliver on his economic policies.

Most large caps traded mixed with market kingpin Samsung Electronics backtracking 0.1 percent.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor declined 1.21 percent, and top steelmaker POSCO edged down 0.18 percent.

Naver, the operator of the country's top Internet portal, rose 1.04 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,121.30 won against the US dollar, up 1.1 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)