South Korean stocks closed higher on Tuesday despite jitters from investors ahead of the new Fed chair's remarks, as market bellwether Samsung Electronics rallied on the back of foreign buying. The South Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 0.46 percent, or 8.76 points, to 1932.06. Trading volume on the main market was 217.82 million shares, worth 3.19 trillion won (US$3 billion), with advancers outnumbering decliners 437 to 341.