South Korean shares opened slightly higher Wednesday, tracking an overnight rebound on Wall Street.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 5.41 points, or 0.23 percent, to 2,338.0 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

The index got off to a strong start after a 2.38 percent plunge the previous session.

Tech shares advanced, taking a cue from an upturn in US tech heavyweights.

The tech-laden Nasdaq composite rose 1.71 percent to 10,963.64 on Tuesday (New York time). The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.52 percent, and the S&P 500 was up 1.05 percent.

Large caps traded mixed in Seoul.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.34 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix gaining 0.49 percent.

Leading chemical maker LG Chem stayed flat, and top automaker Hyundai Motor shed 0.56 percent.

Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics dipped 1.5 percent, but Celltrion advanced 0.75 percent.

Internet portal giant Naver jumped 3.34 percent, with its rival Kakao leaping 3.26 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,162 won against the US dollar, up 3 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)