Korean shares up in late morning trading

South Korean shares traded higher late Wednesday morning on positive economic data from the United States.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 13.19 points, or 0.57 percent, to 2,347.41 as of 11:20 a.m.

Large caps traded mixed, with market kingpin Samsung Electronics adding 2.8 percent and global chipmaker SK hynix up 2.61 percent.

Hyundai Motor, the No. 1 automaker here, rose 0.35 percent, and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors traded 1.12 percent lower.

POSCO, the No. 1 steelmaker, fell 1.85 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,138.65 won against the US dollar, up 1.05 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)