Seoul shares up 0.82 pct in late-morning trade

South Korean stocks traded 0.82 percent higher late Tuesday morning, buoyed by gains in automakers and technology firms, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 16 points to 1,955.71 as of 11:20 a.m.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose 2.41 percent and top automaker Hyundai Motor surged 5.04 percent.

In contrast, POSCO slipped 0.84 percent ahead of its fourth-quarter earnings release scheduled for later in the day.

The local currency was trading hands at 1,089.5 won to the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., up 4 won from Monday's close. (Yonhap News)