South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Wednesday as investors took a wait-and-see mode over prospects of a post-pandemic bond yield hike.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 3.88 points, or 0.13 percent, to 3,047.75 points in the first 15 minutes of trading.

The KOSPI got off to a muted start after the three key stock indexes on Wall Street dipped over speculation of early inflation, heralded by a bond yield hike late last week.

Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 1.69 percent, with the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreating 0.46 percent and 0.81 percent, respectively.

Top cap Samsung Electronics slid 0.24 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 1.73 percent.

Giant internet portal operator Naver gained 1.19 percent, and its rival Kakao edged up 0.2 percent.

Pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics slipped 0.13 percent, but Celltrion increased 1.2 percent.

Leading chemical firm LG Chem moved down 1.57 percent, while top automaker Hyundai Motor advanced 0.42 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,123.4 won against the US dollar, up 0.6 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)