South Korean stocks opened higher Friday as investors' sentiment got a boost from a breakthrough in the U.S. debt ceiling talks, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) moved up 2.84 points, or 0.14 percent, to 2,043.45 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Tech shares led the market gain, with market behemoth Samsung Electronics adding 0.41 percent and leading chipmaker SK hynix rising 1.33 percent. Flat panel maker LG Display gained 2.88 percent.
Mobile carriers traded mixed, with No. 1 SK Telecom adding 0.87 percent while its rival KT lost 0.14 percent. LG Uplus, the smallest player, gained 2.25 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,061.20 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 2.50 won from Thursday's close. (Yonhap News)
