South Korean stocks lost ground late Monday morning following losses from technology and chemical shares.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 4.39 points, or 0.19 percent, to 2,367.33 as of 11:20 a.m.

Market behemoth Samsung Electronics inched down 0.04 percent, and top chipmaker SK hynix also slid 1.75 percent.

Chemical shares were also losers, with LG Chem decreasing 1.19 percent and AmorePacific falling 0.15 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,119.00 won against the US dollar, up 2.80 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)