South Korean stocks continued to trade lower late Thursday morning due to losses from tech and pharmaceutical shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 9.34 points, or 0.35 percent, to 2,642.95 as of 11:20 a.m. Top tech giant Samsung Electronics decreased 0.55 percent and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 0.51 percent. Pharmaceutical shares also traded lower. Samsung Biologics decreased 2.37 percent and Celltrion shed 3.26 percent. Carmakers traded mixed, with Hyundai Motor losing 0.4 percent while its sister Kia advanced 3.99 percent. The local currency was trading at 1,335.2 won against the U.S. dollar, down 0.6 won from the previous session. The local financial market will be closed Friday for March 1 Independence Movement Day. Source: Yonhap News Agency