South Korean stocks opened lower Thursday, taking a cue from overnight losses on Wall Street over the new coronavirus uncertainties.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 13.26 points, or 0.56 percent, to 2,347.28 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Key US stock indices closed lower Wednesday (New York time), after the US Federal Reserve said the COVID-19 crisis would "weigh heavily" on the world's largest economy.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 0.31 percent to 27,692.88. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.57 percent, and the S&P 500 lost 0.44 percent.

South Korea has also clenched its fists to contain the spreading COVID-19 outbreak.

Large caps traded mixed.

Market behemoth Samsung Electronics fell 0.87 percent, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix inched up 0.25 percent.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor shed 0.91 percent, but leading chemical company LG Chem added 1.46 percent.

Pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics gained 0.25 percent.

Internet giant Naver rose 0.79 percent, with its rival Kakao advancing 1.06 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,184.15 won against the US dollar, down 2.95 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)