South Korean stocks traded lower late Monday morning, tracking losses on Wall Street losses, although tech blue chips continued to gain ground, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index backtracked 5.37 points, or 0.22 percent, to hit 2,395.62 as of 11:20 a.m.
Tech giant Samsung Electronics gained 0.9 percent, with chipmaker SK hynix adding 1.7 percent.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor, meanwhile, shed 2.68 percent, and its affiliate Hyundai Mobis, an auto parts maker, dropped 3.52 percent.
The local currency was changing hands at 1,120.90 won against the greenback, up 1.2 won from Friday's close. (Yonhap)