Seoul: South Korean stocks started higher Monday as investors hunted for bargains following a sharp drop in the previous session amid concerns over an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 28.58 points, or 0.74 percent, to 3,881.84 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the KOSPI experienced fluctuations last week, beginning with a 1.94 percent gain on Monday and then tumbling 3.32 percent the following day. After a 1.92 percent increase on Thursday, the index saw a significant drop of 3.79 percent on Friday.

Among the top performers, Samsung Electronics surged 3.38 percent, while its competitor SK hynix advanced 1.92 percent. Financial institution KB Financial Group rose by 1.24 percent, and entertainment company CJ ENM increased by 1.09 percent. On the other hand, Hyundai Motor, a leading car manufacturer, saw a decline of 0.19 percent, and LG Energy Solution, a prominent battery maker, decreased by 2.47 percent.

The local currency showed some strength, trading at 1,470.4 won against the greenback at 9:15 a.m., marking an increase of 5.4 won from the previous session.