South Korean shares opened sharply lower on Monday, taking a cue from losses on Wall Street last week.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 17.57 points, or 0.92 percent, to 1,990.05 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Most large caps opened in negative terrain with top market cap Samsung Electronics slipping 1.62 percent.

No. 1 automaker Hyundai Motor lost 1.47 percent with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors shedding 1.96 percent.

On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 1.02 percent to 16346.45 points, following a stock rout in China triggered by concerns over slowing growth in the world's second-largest economy.

The local currency was trading at 1209.85 won to the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., down 11.60 won from last session's close and the lowest level in more than five and a half years. (Yonhap)