Seoul shares open higher; impeachment vote result eyed
An electronic board showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index at a dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)
Seoul shares opened higher Friday on auto and energy gains, with investors eyeing the planned parliamentary vote for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his botched declaration of martial law earlier this week.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 13.68 points, or 0.56 percent, to 2,455.53 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
On Tuesday night, Yoon abruptly declared martial law, accusing the main opposition party of paralyzing the government with impeachment motions and a downsized budget bill.
But he lifted the martial law attempt on the following day after the National Assembly voted against the declaration.
Opposition parties submitted an impeachment motion against him on the same day. The impeachment vote is set for Saturday.
In Seoul, auto and energy stocks led gains.
Top carmaker Hyundai Motor rose 0.49 percent, No. 2 carmaker Kia climbed 2.02 percent, and leading battery maker LG Energy Solution gained 3.01 percent.
Samsung Electronics advanced 0.74 percent, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix declined 1.97 percent.
Among other decliners, No. 2 wireless services provider KT dropped 2.52 percent, and leading cosmetics firm Amorepacific shed 0.48 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,415.85 won against the greenback at 9:15 a.m., down 0.75 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)
