South Korean stocks turned lower after starting off higher on Wednesday, dented by bearish auto and IT service blue-chips, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 3.12 points, or 0.15 percent, to 2,048.64 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Hyundai Motor, the world's fifth-largest automaker, and its affiliate Hyundai Mobis dropped 1.5 percent and nearly 2 percent each. NAVER, Korea's top Internet portal provider, sank almost 3 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,062.25 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., down 1.55 won from Tuesday's close. (Yonhap News)
