South Korean stocks traded 0.38 percent lower late Tuesday morning, as large-cap tech firms and telecom companies drove down shares, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 7.77 points to 2,017.40 as of 11:20 a.m.
Samsung Electronics shed 1.3 percent, with top mobile carrier SK Telecom falling 1.1 percent.
In contrast, domestic-focused stocks gathered ground. Top Internet portal provider NAVER soared 2.4 percent and state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. rose nearly 2 percent.
The local currency was changing hands at 1,062.35 won against the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., up 0.55 won from Monday's close. (Yonhap News)
