South Korean stocks traded 0.17 percent higher late Monday morning, boosted by gains in tech and auto blue chips, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 3.47 points to 2,037.86 as of 11:20 a.m.
Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor, the first top two companies by market cap, soared more than 2 percent, with Hyundai Mobis, an auto-parts maker, hiking 4 percent.
But shipping lines and logistics companies lost ground, with Hyundai Merchant Marine slumping more than 4 percent.
The local currency was changing hands at 1,061.20 won against the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., up 0.6 won from Friday's close. (Yonhap News)
