South Korean stocks closed higher Wednesday as investors awaited key U.S. employment data due later this week. The Korean won weakened slightly against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) rose 12-point-07 points, or zero-point-38 percent, Wednesday to close at three-thousand-184-point-42.

The tech-heavy KOSDAQ gained two-point-81 points, or zero-point-35 percent, to close at 796-point-81.

Tech and healthcare stocks led gains, with Samsung Electronics up one-point-01 percent to 69-thousand-800 won, SK hynix up zero-point-77 percent to 262-thousand-500 won, and Samsung Biologics rising one-point-five percent to one-million 12-thousand won. Nuclear-related shares also rose, with Doosan Enerbility jumping three-point-31 percent to 62-thousand-400 won.

Shipbuilding stocks retreated on profit-taking, with Hanwha Ocean down four-point-46 percent to 117-thousand-700 won and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shedding one-point-75 percent to 505-thousand won.