South Korean shares opened slightly higher Friday, following overnight Wall Street gains, amid lingering concerns over a global economic recession.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 2.09 points, or 0.09 percent, to trade at 2,411.25 points in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Foreigners and retail investors went on a buying mode, while institutions sold shares.

Overnight, US stocks rose on the back of tech gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.51 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite surged 1.36 percent.

In Seoul, big-cap shares traded mixed, with chemicals losing ground to limit a further advance.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose 0.32 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix remained flat.

No. 1 carmaker Hyundai Motor remained unchanged, and its affiliate Kia added 0.24 percent.

Bio stocks increased, with Samsung Biologics going up 0.37 percent and pharmaceutical company Celltrion rising 0.27 percent.

But battery giant LG Energy Solution lost 1.28 percent, and major chemical firm LG Chem decreased 1.41 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,308.35 won against the US dollar, down 0.65 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)