South Korean stocks traded 0.3 percent higher late Tuesday morning on gains in large-cap tech and bio shares.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) had added 7.33 points to 2,486.68 as of 11:20 a.m.
Tech giant Samsung Electronics rose 1.55 percent, and its chipmaking rival SK hynix added 4.05 percent.
Top refinery SK Innovation was up 0.11 percent, and leading battery maker Samsung SDI climbed 0.3 percent.
Leading pharmaceuticals firm SK Bioscience advanced 2.22 percent, and Celltrion went up 0.24 percent.
But auto shares lost ground, with industry leader Hyundai Motor falling 1.92 percent and its smaller affiliate Kia sliding 1.89 percent.
The local currency was changing hands at 1,336.5 won against the greenback at around 11:20 a.m., up 0.5 won from Monday's close.
Source: Yonhap News Agency