SEOUL, South Korean shares were up late Tuesday morning, slightly extending earlier gains.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 13.54 points, or 0.50 percent, to 2,714.71 as of 11:20 a.m.

The KOSPI had opened in positive terrain, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street ahead of a U.S. Fed meeting, slated for Tuesday and Wednesday (U.S. time).

In Seoul, large caps traded mixed.

Tech giant Samsung Electronics lost 0.26 percent, while the world’s No.2 chipmaker SK hynix advanced 0.96 percent.

Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution surged 2.12 percent, but its local rival Samsung SDS retreated 0.71 percent.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors added 0.93 percent and 0.82 percent, respectively.

The local currency was trading at 1,376.40 won against the U.S. dollar, down 0.40 won from the previous session’s close.

Source: Yonhap News Agency