Seoul shares rebounded Monday after opening lower, tracking gains on Wall Street. The benchmark KOSPI rose 0.37 percent to 7,503.42 as of 9:15 a.m.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) opened 0.85 percent lower at 7,412.03 before turning higher. U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite each gaining 0.29 percent.
SK hynix's multibillion-dollar U.S. share offering supported the gains. Its American depositary receipts closed at $168, well above the $149 offering price.
Renewed tensions in the Middle East weighed on sentiment. The U.S. military launched strikes against Iran on Sunday following Iran's drone attacks on U.S. allies.
Samsung Electronics rose 0.7 percent and Hyundai Motor climbed 3.72 percent. SK Innovation jumped 8.36 percent while SK hynix fell 4.36 percent. The Korean won traded at 1,501.40 won per dollar, down 2.9 won.
