Seoul shares down 0.8 pct in late-morning trade

South Korean stocks traded 0.8 percent lower late Wednesday morning, as large-cap tech firms and brokerage houses widened losses, analysts said.
   
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) dipped 15.98 points to 1,973.53 as of 11:20 a.m.
   
Leading home appliance maker LG Electronics fell 2.5 percent, and No. 2 brokerage firm KDB Daewoo Securities slid 1.8 percent.
   
But top-listed company Samsung Electronics inched up 0.13 percent.
   
The local currency was changing hands at 1,119.70 won against the greenback, up 2.5 won from Tuesday's close. (Yonhap News)