(URGENT) Seoul stocks open lower on chip losses

Korean stocks commenced trading in a downbeat fashion on Thursday, adversely affected by losses in chip-oriented equities following a three-day decline. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slipped 26.3 points, or 0.38 percent, to 6,811.74 by 9:15 a.m. Overnight, Wall Street finished in a mixed state as inflation data, cooler than anticipated, was tempered by persistent pressure from high U.S. Treasury yields and surging oil prices.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw a 0.86 percent decline, whereas the S&P 500 benchmark dipped 0.25 percent. Conversely, the tech-oriented Nasdaq Composite Index managed a 0.24 percent increase. Within Seoul's key markets, major players experienced a general decline. Industry leader Samsung Electronics saw a 0.28 percent decrease, while chip titan SK hynix slipped 0.11 percent.

The parent entity of SK hynix, SK Square, plummeted 2.81 percent, and Samsung Electro-Mechanics, a Samsung Electronics affiliate specializing in electronics components, plummeted 2.05 percent. The Korean won was valued at 1,358.7 won per U.S. dollar, representing a 3 won depreciation from the previous trading day's close.