Seoul shares slip 0.08 pct in late-morning trade

South Korean stocks traded 0.08 percent lower late Monday morning as foreigners and retail investors opted to scale back holdings, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell

1.66 points to 2,004.35 as of 11:20 a.m.

Large caps were mixed. The country's top automaker Hyundai Motor slumped 1.64 percent and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors lost 1.5 percent.

In contrast, market bellwether Samsung Electronics gained 0.33 percent.

The local currency was changing hands at 1,099.9 won to the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., down 9.6 won from Friday's close. (Yonhap News)