SEOUL - South Korean stocks saw a decline in late Friday morning, primarily driven by underperformance in technology and battery shares. As of 11:20 a.m., the Korea Composite Stock Price Index had dropped by 17.33 points, or 0.7 percent, standing at 2,470.85.
According to Yonhap News Agency, The decrease in the market index was influenced by investor caution amid speculation about a cooling U.S. economy. Major technology firms such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix experienced declines of 0.14 percent and 1.28 percent, respectively. In the battery sector, LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI also faced significant losses, with LG Energy Solution dropping 2.82 percent and Samsung SDI 2.09 percent. Meanwhile, Naver, South Korea's leading online portal operator, remained stable, while its competitor Kakao fell by 1.35 percent. The local currency, the won, was trading at 1,295.5 against the U.S. dollar, slightly up from the previous session's close.