Seoul shares down 1.13 pct in late-morning trade

SEOUL, South Korean stocks traded 1.13 percent lower late Tuesday morning on profit-taking. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) had fallen 30.4 points to 2,649.86 as of 11:20 a.m. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics slid 1.36 percent and its chipmaking rival SK hynix sank 2.12 percent. Major builder Samsung CandT tumbled 2.64 percent and Kumho Petro Chemical plunged 6.19 percent. Leading retailer Shinsegae lost 2.69 percent and top bio firm Samsung Biologics dipped 0.37 percent. The local currency was trading at 1,338.15 won against the U.S. dollar, down 2.95 won from the previous session's close. Source: Yonhap News Agency