South Korean stocks turned higher after a weak start Monday, as further depreciation of the Japanese yen stopped short of unnerving investors, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 0.93 points, or 0.05 percent, to 1,945.68 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Autos and utilities lent support to reverting to gains, with Hyundai Motor rising 0.53 percent and state-run electricity provider Korea Electric Power Corp. climbing 1.5 percent.
Top-cap Samsung Electronics inched down nearly 0.1 percent.
The local currency tumbled 8.8 won to 1,114.85 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., as the yen-dollar exchange rate that briefly touched the 102 yen mark before the market opened weighed down the Korean won. (Yonhp News)
