South Korean shares traded 0.47 percent higher late Friday morning on eased worries over a British exit from the European Union after Britain suspended a campaign following a lawmaker's death.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index advanced 9.27 points to 1,961.26 as of 11:20 a.m.

Market kingpin Samsung Electronics gained 1.35 percent, and Korea Electric Power Corp., the state-run power provider, rose 0.69 percent. 


Auto shares were down, with industry leader Hyundai Motor declining 0.37 percent and its auto parts unit Hyundai Mobis falling 1.33 percent. 

U.S. stocks closed higher on Thursday after a pro-EU British lawmaker was shot dead in street, causing a temporary suspension of campaigning for next week's vote, a key issue that rattled the global financial market over the past week.

The local currency was changing hands at 1,171.7 won against the U.S. dollar, down 0.3 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)