South Korean stocks started higher on Tuesday as foreign investors scooped up local shares, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) increased 0.73 percent, or 14.13 points, to 1939.72 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Shares gathered ground across the board, with market bellwether Samsung Electronics rising 1.31 percent and flat panel giant LG Display gaining 2.59 percent. Leading automaker Hyundai Motor also climbed 2 percent.

U.S. stocks ended higher overnight on improved economic indicators, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing 0.72 percent and the NASDAQ composite index adding 0.66 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,107.95 won to the greenback as of 9:15 a.m., down 2.55 won from Monday's close. (Yonhap News)