South Korean stocks opened on a weak note led by foreign investors on January 18 . After meandering between positive and negative territory , the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index edged up 4 . 00 points , or 0 . 19 %, to 2 , 103 . 85 at 9 : 15 am . With New York markets closed for the Martin Luther King Day public holiday , the Seoul bourse opened weak due to programmed selling . Among large - cap stocks , LG Chem , Samsung Life Insurance , Hyundai Mobis and Hyundai Motor fell while Hynix , SK Innovation , KEPCO and LG Electronics gained . [ Written by Na - rae Jung / edited by Soyoung Chung ]