Seoul shares up 0.12 pct in late-morning trade

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded 0.12 percent higher late Monday morning, boosted by firm gains in financial and technology shares, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 2.15 points to 1,747.03 as of 11:20 a.m. Institutions beefed up their holdings, but foreigners and retail investors opted to dump shares. Techs led the rise with market bellwether Samsung Electronics gaining more than 2 percent and No. 2 chipmaker Hynix Semiconductor jumping more than 3 percent. Financials were also bullish with KB Financial, the parent of the top lender Kookmin Bank, rising nearly 3 percent and No. 1 banking group Woori Finance Holdings climbing more than 3 percent. The local currency was trading at 1,083.1 won to the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., up 4.3 won from Friday's close.