SEOUL: South Korean stocks rose 0.19 percent higher late Tuesday morning as investors picked up auto and brokerage issues.
Reversing from a weak start, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) edged up 3.67 points to 1,935.13 as of 11:20 a.m.
Large caps traded mixed with auto and brokerage issues helping the index stay in positive terrain.
Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors rose 1.29 percent and 1.77 percent, respectively. Major brokerage KDB Daewoo Securities gained 2.93 percent.
Samsung C&T, a fashion and construction arm of Samsung Group, rose more than 2 percent on its first trading day after it merged with Cheil Industries, another Samsung affiliate.
Tech issues were among the losers, with market bellwether Samsung Electronics falling 0.53 percent. Chipmaking giant SK hynix also shed 1.59 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,182.55 won against the U.S. dollar as of 11:20 a.m., up 0.55 won from the previous close.
