Seoul: Stocks at more than 1-week high, won firmer

[SEOUL] South Korean shares and the won inched up on Monday as concerns over the US Treasury's currency report and geopolitical tensions with North Korea partly eased.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) closed up half a per cent at 2,145.76 points before touching an over one-week high of 2,150.70 points.

The won was quoted at 1,137.7 to the US dollar at the conclusion of onshore trade, rising 0.2 per cent compared with Friday's close of 1,140.0.

The US Treasury currency report released over the weekend kept South Korea on the monitoring list as it did last October.

Elsewhere, North Korea's missile launch failure calmed market worries over geopolitical risks in the region.

REUTERS