Seoul: Seoul shares opened higher Tuesday, led by gains in technology shares after Samsung Electronics Co. reported record earnings in the first quarter. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 134.43 points, or 2.47 percent, to 5,584.76 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The index was largely supported by strong corporate earnings expectations. According to Yonhap News Agency, Samsung Electronics estimated its first-quarter operating profit surged nearly ninefold to a record 57.2 trillion won (US$38 billion) from 6.61 trillion won a year earlier, driven by robust demand for artificial intelligence-related chips. Investor sentiment was further buoyed by overnight gains on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.36 percent and the Nasdaq composite added 0.54 percent. Samsung Electronics jumped 3.7 percent, and its chip rival SK hynix gained 3.56 percent. Top carmaker Hyundai Motor rose 2.56 percent, while its smaller affiliate Kia climbed 1.12 percent. Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution advanced 2.4 percent, and top refiner SK Innovation surged 3.08 percent. Among decliners, dominant tobacco company KT and G fell 0.45 percent, while Samyang Foods declined 0.66 percent. The local currency was trading at 1,505.50 won against the greenback at 9:15 a.m., up 0.8 won from the previous session.