Seoul shares edge up; KEPCO jumps, exporters down

* KOSPI gains limited amid foreign, institutional selling

* UAE nuclear power deal boosts KEPCO, Hyundai E&C

* Exporters pressured by won's weakness (Updates to close)

By Jungyoun Park

SEOUL, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Seoul shares ended 0.19 percent higher after trading in a tight range on Monday, helped by shares related to a United Arab Emirates nuclear power deal including KEPCO (015760.KS), but losses in exporters weighed.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index .KS11 (KOSPI) finished up 3.25 points at 1,685.59, rising for a fourth consecutive session.

"Volume was pretty thin today as investors are getting ready to close their books for the year. With the exception of nuclear power or high dividend-related sectors, shares were generally met with weak appetite, particularly given their recent rises," said Song Kyung-keun, a market analyst at Dongbu Securities.

However, gains were capped by selling by foreign and institutional investors, who offloaded a net 56 billion won ($47.91 million) and 86 billion won respectively.

Gains were led by shares in Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) and other builders after a consortium led by KEPCO and including Hyundai Engineering & Construction (000720.KS), Samsung C&T Corp (000830.KS) and Doosan Heavy Industries (034020.KS), won a landmark deal to build and operate four nuclear reactors in the UAE. [ID:nLDE5BQ05O]

Analysts said news of the deal pointed to further nuclear power-related order flows to be won by South Korean companies.

"Markets expect more nuclear power-related orders to come next year. There's talk of orders from Jordan and Turkey," said Park Hyung-jin, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities.

KEPCO ended up 5.04 percent after rising by its daily limit of 15 percent and hitting a near two-year high. Hyundai E&C finished up 4.56 percent, after hitting climbing as high as 76,900 won, the highest intraday level in more than 18 months.

Samsung C&T climbed 3 percent and Doosan Heavy jumped 14.88 percent to end at 84,900 won, its strongest level since May this year.

Korea Power Engineering Co Inc (052690.KS) and KR Plant Service & Engineering (051600.KS), both units of KEPCO that specialise in power plant businesses, ended limit up.

KT Corp (030200.KS) ended down 0.61 percent, in line with telecommunications sector weakness, after South Korea's dominant fixed-line operator and No.2 mobile carrier said on Monday that about 16 percent of its workforce would leave the company under an early retirement programme. [ID:nSEL002843]

SK Telecom (017670.KS), South Korea's top wireless carrier, lost 0.84 percent.

Gains in banks and shipbuilders following their recent losses also lent support.

KB Financial Group (105560.KS) rose 1.01 percent and Woori Finance Holdings (053000.KS) climbed 1.66 percent.

Hyundai Heavy Industries (009540.KS) rose 4.55 percent and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (042660.KS) advanced 1.16 percent.

But key exporters fell, weighed by the won's KRW= gain against the dollar.

LG Electronics (066570.KS), South Korea's No.2 handset maker, declined 0.82 percent, and Hyundai Motor (005380.KS), the country's top automaker, lost 0.83 percent. ($1=1168.7 Won)