The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) slipped to a fresh 19-month low ahead of a widely-expected rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The main bourse fell 45-point-59 points, or one-point-83 percent, on Wednesday, closing the day at two-thousand-447-point-38.

The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also fell, losing 24-point-17 points, or two-point-93 percent, to close at 799-point-41.

On the foreign exchange, the local currency weakened four-point-one won against the dollar, ending the day at one-thousand-290-point-five won. It is the lowest level in 13 years since closing at one-thousand-293 won on July 14, 2009.