South Korean stocks opened slightly lower Friday amid a prolonged losing streak ahead of the earnings season.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 3.22 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,537.05 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The Kospi has been on a seven-day losing streak.
Large caps traded mixed.
Market kingpin Samsung Electronics added 0.55 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix gaining 0.29 percent and leading cosmetics firm Amore Pacific adding 0.79 percent.
Top drugmaker Celltrion lost 2.59 percent, while leading automaker Hyundai dropped 0.16 percent and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors 1 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,312.55 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.35 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)