An electronic board showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index at a dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap)
An electronic board showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index at a dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap)

Seoul shares ended lower for a second straight session Thursday as the local currency dipped to the lowest since 2009 amid continued political turmoil following President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law declaration this month.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 10.85 points, or 0.44 percent, to close at 2,429.67.

Trade volume was low at 310.05 million shares worth 6.08 trillion won ($4.15 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 587 to 302.

Individuals sold a net 250.69 billion won worth of stocks, exceeding institutions and foreigners' combined stock purchases valued at 139.84 billion won.

Earlier in the day, acting President Han Duck-soo said he will not appoint justices to the Constitutional Court until the rival parties agree on whether he has the authority to do so before an impeachment ruling on Yoon.

In response, the opposition-led National Assembly moved to impeach Han, further darkening the political landscape.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 1.47 percent to 53,600 won, leading home appliance maker LG Electronics declined 1.38 percent to 85,700 won, and leading battery maker LG Energy Solution shed 1.57 percent to 344,500 won.

Among gainers, top carmaker Hyundai Motor rose 0.46 percent to 217,500 won, Hanwha Group's shipbuilding affiliate Hanwha Ocean jumped 4.86 percent to 37,750 won, and No. 2 carrier Asiana Airlines gained 0.91 percent to 10,030 won.

The local currency was quoted at 1,464.80 won against the US dollar at 3:30 p.m., down 8.4 won from the previous session.

It marked the lowest level since March 13, 2009, when the reading was quoted at 1,483.5 won. (Yonhap)