SEOUL (Bloomberg) — STX Pan Ocean Co. and Korea Line Corp. rose in Seoul trading after an index of freight rates advanced for the first time in a month.

STX Pan Ocean, South Korea's biggest bulk carrier, gained 4.4 percent to 11,800 won as of 10.48 a.m. on the Korea Exchange yesterday, heading for the biggest gain since November 16. Korea Line, the second-biggest, gained 3.4 percent to 41,600 won, while the benchmark Kospi stock index rose 0.1 percent.

The Baltic Dry Index, a measure of shipping costs for commodities, rose 4.5 percent to 3,140 points yesterday, the first increase since December 4, according to the Baltic Exchange.