S.Korea won steady after prelim export data, order

SEOUL Nov 23 (Reuters) - The South Korean won was little changed on Monday, with positive trade data and a new foreign construction order offset by investors' preference for safe assets such as the dollar.

The won KRW= was quoted at 1,157.8 per dollar by 0154 GMT, compared with Friday's domestic close KRW=KFTC of 1,157.9/9.9.

The local currency touched a 3-week low of 1,168.5 against the dollar on Friday.

South Korean exports increased 29 percent in the first 20 days of November, customs office data showed on Saturday. [ID:nSEO303518]

On the corporate front, GS Engineering & Construction (006360.KS) won a new order related to a $520 million refinery facility construction from the United Arab Emirates. [ID:nSEL002771]

Weighing on sentiment for the won, the National Pension Service is set to buy an office building in central Sydney for around A$685 million, an Australian newspaper reported on Monday. [ID:nSYD477915]

But an official at the world's No. 5 pension fund denied the report as unfounded.

(Reporting by Kim Yeon-hee; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

((yeonhee.kim@thomsonreuters.com; +82 2 3704 5646; Reuters Messaging: yeonhee.kim.reuters.com@reuters.net))