South Korean shares traded lower late Wednesday morning as sentiment subdued after a key vote on US President Donald Trump's healthcare reform was delayed.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 6.17 points, or 0.26 percent, to 2,385.78 as of 11:20 a.m.
Large caps traded mixed with market kingpin Samsung Electronics falling 1.37 percent and global chipmaker SK hynix down 1.59 percent.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor rose 0.31 percent, and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors traded 0.53 percent lower.
POSCO, the No. 1 steelmaker, advanced 3.64 percent.
Naver, the operator of the country's top Internet portal, shed 1.27 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,141.05 won against the US dollar, down 4.15 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)