South Korean stocks opened steeply lower Friday, tracking a plunge on Wall Street that stemmed from the elevating US-Russia tensions over Moscow's potential invasion of Ukraine.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 24.86 points, or 0.91 percent, to 2,719.23 points as of 9:15 a.m.

Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite tumbled 2.88 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 1.78 percent, due to the US top officials' comments about the heightening possibilities of Russia's imminent invasion of Ukraine.

Most large caps traded lower in Seoul.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 0.67 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix decreased 1.5 percent.

Internet portal operator Naver declined 2.3 percent, and leading carmaker Hyundai Motor declined 0.82 percent. Top steelmaker POSCO declined 2.65 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,198.75 won against the US dollar, down 1.65 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)