South Korean shares opened higher Friday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 14.63 points, or 0.55 percent, to 2,698.28 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.85 percent higher Thursday, while the Nasdaq rose 1.51 percent on dovish remarks from US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggesting there will unlikely be a rate hike in the near future.

In Seoul, most large caps were in positive terrain.

Market kingpin Samsung Electronics gained 0.51 percent, with its chipmaking rival SK hynix surging 1.38 percent.

Top portal operator Naver soared 1.85 percent following better-than-expected first-quarter earnings, while leading battery maker LG Energy Solution advanced 0.39 percent.

Leading carmaker Hyundai Motor slipped 0.20 percent, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors retreating 0.42 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,369.15 won against the US dollar, up 6.75 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)