Seoul: South Korean stocks started higher Thursday after the benchmark index set a fresh record high the previous session. Opening 0.27 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 21.54 points, or 0.46 percent, to 4,744.64 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

According to Yonhap News Agency, a day earlier, the index rose 0.65 percent to close at an all-time high of 4,723.10. Meanwhile, the U.S. stock market experienced a decline due to a drop in technology and financial shares, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 0.1 percent and the Nasdaq composite falling 1 percent.

In the Seoul market, battery and defense shares were leading the gains. Notably, LG Energy Solution, a prominent battery maker, rose 0.26 percent, while Samsung SDI advanced 0.7 percent. In the defense sector, Hanwha Aerospace increased 2.76 percent, and Korea Aerospace Industries climbed 1.68 percent.

However, semiconductor shares were among the decliners. Samsung Electronics saw a decrease of 0.36 percent, and SK hynix fell 1.08 percent. Additionally, the local currency was trading at 1,467.45 won against the greenback at 9:15 a.m., down 10.5 won from the previous session.