South Korean stocks traded a tad higher late Wednesday morning, but the gain was limited by geopolitical tension surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index inched up 2.2 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,126.05 as of 11:20 a.m.

Top tech giant Samsung Electronics continued to gain ground, rising 0.43 percent.

Mobile carriers lost ground, with No. 1 SK Telecom falling 0.61 percent and KT losing 1.27 percent. LG Uplus, the smallest player, shed 2.46 percent.   The local currency was trading at 1,144.40 won against the US dollar, up 1.4 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)