South Korean shares opened nearly flat Tuesday despite overnight rallies on Wall Street as investors remain wary of lingering concerns over the US central bank's monetary tightening and the Ukraine crisis.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) had added 0.47 point, or 0.02 percent, to reach 2,758.37 as of 9:15 a.m.

Overnight, the US stock market finished higher on strong gains of tech shares. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3 percent, and the Nasdaq composite advanced 1.9 percent.

On the Seoul bourse, chemicals and tech shares were in positive terrain, while steel and utilities lost ground on profit-taking.

Major battery maker LG Energy Solution added 0.23 percent, and LG Chem surged 2.47 percent.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics remained unchanged, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix increased 0.43 percent.

Top steelmaker POSCO Holdings shed 1.7 percent, and state-run utility firm KEPCO lost 0.86 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,213.80 won against the US dollar, up 6 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)