Seoul shares up 0.34 pct in late morning trade

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded 0.62 percent higher late Thursday morning as investors engaged in bargain hunting.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index increased 15.21 points to 2,451.88 as of 11:20 a.m.

Market kingpin Samsung Electronics jumped 1.99 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shot up 1.33 percent. LG Electronics moved up 0.93 percent, and Samsung SDI also climbed 2.78 percent.

Top chemical firm LG Chem advanced 2.66 percent, followed by LG Household & Health Care with 1.53 percent. AmorePacific advanced 1.16 percent.

The South Korean won was changing hands at 1,072.10 won against the U.S. greenback, up 2.00 won from the previous session's close.

colin@yna.co.kr
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