Seoul shares opens higher on tech gains

South Korean stocks started higher Tuesday, led by gains in big tech firms, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained

0.81 points, or 0.04 percent, to 2003.16 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Big-cap tech names led the rise, with market bellwether Samsung Electronics increasing 0.99 percent and SK hynix climbing 0.87 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,116.95 won to the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 0.95 won from Monday's close. (Yonhap News)