Seoul: South Korean stocks traded higher late Tuesday morning, moving in line with overnight U.S. stock gains over eased concerns regarding President Donald Trump's tariff measures. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 21.98 points, or 0.89 percent, to reach 2,477.87 as of 11:20 a.m.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Wall Street closed higher after Trump's announcement of an exemption from reciprocal tariffs for smartphones, computers, and other electronics over the weekend. The S and P 500 gained 0.79 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.78 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.64 percent.

In Seoul, chip and automotive shares led the overall gains. Market cap Samsung Electronics climbed 1.07 percent, and chip rival SK hynix added 0.67 percent. Hyundai Motor and Kia, the country's leading automakers, jumped 4.46 percent and 3.98 percent, respectively, after Trump suggested pausing Washington's auto tariffs to give global automakers more time to relocate production to America.

Financial and internet portal shares also advanced, with KB Financial adding 1.97 percent and top portal operator Naver rising 0.93 percent. The local currency was trading at 1,423.9 won against the U.S. dollar at 11:20 a.m., up 0.2 won from the previous session.