South Korean stocks traded lower late Wednesday morning as foreign investors dumped market heavyweights on woes over a widely expected rate hike in the United States.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 4.73 points, or 0.23 percent, to 2,019.2 as of 11:20 a.m.

Most market heavyweights were in negative terrain.

Top market cap Samsung Electronics declined 0.61 percent, and Korea Electric Power Corp., the state-run power provider, slipped 1.31 percent.

However, cosmetics shares traded bullish, with AmorePacific and LG Household & Health Care rising 2.75 percent and 0.49 percent, respectively.

The local currency was changing hands at 1,157.9 won against the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., up 0.1 won from Tuesday's close. (Yonhap)