Seoul shares down 0.46 pct in late-morning trade

South Korean stocks traded 0.46 percent lower late Monday morning due to losses in blue-chip exporters, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 9.03 points to 1937.66 as of 11:20 a.m.

Big-cap tech names led the decline, with market bellwether Samsung Electronics plunging 2.75 percent and the leading electronic components maker Samsung Electro-Mechanics falling 3.11 percent. Top steelmaker POSCO also shed 3.41 percent.

Carmakers also traded in negative territory, with No. 1 industry player Hyundai Motor losing 0.75 percent, and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors decreasing 3.22 percent. Top auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis lost 0.19 percent.

The local currency was changing hands at 1,079.75 won against the greenback, down 5.25 won from Friday's close. (Yonhap News)