SEOUL: South Korean stocks traded 0.69 percent lower late Friday morning on strong foreign selling ahead of a U.S. monetary meeting.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 13.6 points to 1,948.51 as of 11:20 a.m.
Foreign investors remained net sellers for a 27th consecutive sessions amid rising speculation that the U.S. Fed would raise its key rate next week.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics dropped 0.71 percent and chipmaker SK hynix skidded 1.95 percent.
Korea Electric Power Corp., the state-run power supplier, declined 2.13 percent and Korea Gas Corp. lost 2.27 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,184.9 won against the U.S. dollar as of 11:20 a.m., up 9.5 won from the previous close.
