Seoul shares down 0.15 pct in late-morning trade

South Korean stocks traded 0.15 percent lower late Tuesday morning as foreigners extended their selling mode, analysts said.

Reversing earlier gains, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slipped 2.99 points to 2,000.36. 

Large caps were mixed. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 0.4 percent and steel giant POSCO lost 0.88 percent, but Hyundai Motor rose 0.96 percent. Hyundai Elevator surged 14.81 percent on talks over a potential management feud.

The local currency was changing hands at 1,094.1 won to the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., up 0.7 won from Monday's close. (Yonhap News)