Seoul shares open lower on profit taking

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks got off to a weak start Thursday as
investors locked in profits from the key index's recent gains, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 6.18 points, or 0.36
percent, to 1,699.14 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Market leader Samsung Electronics declined 1.55 percent on profit-taking after it
rose to a record high of 841,000 won (US$744) in the previous session. Before the
market opened, the world's largest maker of memory chips said it expects to post
a consolidated operating profit median of 3.7 trillion won in the fourth quarter
of last year.
The local currency was trading at 1,131.15 won to the U.S. dollar as of 9:15
a.m., up 5.25 won from Wednesday's close.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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