S. Korean shares up in late morning trading

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares traded higher late Friday morning on the back of modest gains in heavyweight technology stocks.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 5.25 points, or 0.21 percent, to 2,016.93 as of 11:20 a.m.

Large caps traded mixed with market kingpin Samsung Electronics adding 1.46 percent, and global chipmaker SK hynix up 2.24 percent.

Hyundai Motor fell 2.17 percent, and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors traded 1.65 percent lower.

POSCO, the No. 1 steelmaker, declined 1.5 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,092.40 won against the U.S. dollar, up 1.1 won from the previous session's close.
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