South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 3.88 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,443.78 in the first 15 minutes of trading.


Market kingpin Samsung Electronics, however, dropped 1.32 percent, and SK hynix was 2.7 percent down.

Hyundai Motor, the No. 1 automaker, rose 0.34 percent, and AmorePacific, the country's top cosmetics maker, gained 2.78 percent.

LG Chem, the country's top chemicals firm, added 1.22 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,119.40 won against the US dollar, down 4.10 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)