Korean stocks start higher on foreign buying

South Korean stocks opened higher Friday, led by gains in tech and auto shares, analysts said.

   The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 19.27 points, or 1.02 percent to 1,917.71 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

   Shares gathered ground across the board, with market bellwether Samsung Electronics increasing 1.31 percent and chipmaker SK hynix adding 3.14 percent.

   Top auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis gained 1.67 percent and its affiliate Kia Motors added 0.67 percent.

   U.S. stocks ended higher on Thursday due to better-than-expected jobs data, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing 1.04 percent and the NASDAQ composite index adding 1.44 percent.

   The local currency was trading at 1,091.55 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 0.75 won from Thursday's close. (Yonhap)