Seoul shares up 1.35 pct late Tues. morning

SEOUL, South Korean stocks jumped 1.35 percent Tuesday on strong foreign buying. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index had risen 37.09 points to 2,774.66 as of 11:20 a.m. Chipmakers lent support to the rally, as industry leader Samsung Electronics gained 2.3 percent and runner-up SK hynix soared 5.31 percent. Kia, the country's second-largest carmaker, vaulted 3.23 percent and its auto parts affiliate Hyundai Mobis rose 3.1 percent. Top air carrier Korean Air Lines rose 0.92 percent, and major game maker NCSOFT advanced 2.92 percent. The local currency was trading at 1,338 won against the U.S. dollar, up 4.1 won from the previous session's close. Source: Yonhap News Agency