Seoul: Seoul shares opened higher Thursday as investors scooped up bargain-priced chip stocks following the previous session's steep sell-off. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 285.92 points, or 3.95 percent, to 7,532.71 as of 9:15 a.m.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the overnight performance of U.S. stocks showed mixed results, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 1.09 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite seeing a slight rise of 0.2 percent. Despite global market uncertainties, particularly renewed tensions between the United States and Iran and uncertainty over the next phase of artificial intelligence (AI) trade, tech stocks emerged as the lead gainers in the Seoul market.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics saw a robust increase of 4.5 percent, while chip giant SK hynix surged 8.62 percent. Additionally, leading wireless services provider SK Telecom climbed 4.76 percent, and Lotte Shopping gained 1.1 percent. However, not all sectors witnessed gains; top carmaker Hyundai Motor fell 2.59 percent, and defense firm Hanwha Aerospace declined 3.75 percent.

In the currency market, the Korean won was trading at 1,499.35 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., marking an increase of 3.05 won from the previous session.