South Korean stocks traded lower late Wednesday morning as investors took to the sidelines waiting the outcome of the US Federal Reserve's statement on its rate policy.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 3.79 points, or 0.18 percent, to 2,129.99 as of 11:20 a.m., slipping from its almost 2-year high in the previous session.

Top market cap Samsung Electronics advanced 0.1 percent to a record high, while SK hynix, a major chipmaker, shed 2.58 percent.

AmorePacific, the country's top cosmetics maker, lost 0.54 percent, and Shinhan Financial, a major banking group, fell 0.7 percent.

SK Telecom, the country's top mobile carrier, advanced 2.65 percent.

The South Korean won was trading at 1,147.35 against the US greenback, up 1.45 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)