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KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers

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Korean won strengthens against dollar

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South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

SEOUL, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares rose nearly 1% by midday on Thursday, rebounding from five straight days of declines, as they tracked overnight gains on Wall Street. The Korean won also firmed, while bond yields fell.

** The benchmark KOSPI rose 19.16 points, or 0.82%, to 2,348.11 as of 0201 GMT.

** Technology giant Samsung Electronics rose 0.86%, peer SK Hynix gained 0.64%, and battery maker LG Energy Solution advanced 0.52%.

** Of the total 935 issues traded, 662 shares gained.

** Foreigners were net sellers but the amount was small at 37.8 billion won ($29.61 million).

** The won was quoted at 1,277.3 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.66% higher than its previous close at 1,285.7.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,276.7 per dollar, up 0.2%, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,275.1.

** The KOSPI has fallen 21.14% so far this year, and lost 3.9% in the previous 30 trading sessions.

** The won has lost 6.9% against the dollar so far this year.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds rose 0.05 point to 103.95.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 2.3 basis points to 3.623%, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell by 1.9 basis points to 3.548%. ($1 = 1,276.7100 won) (Reporting by Choonsik Yoo; editing by Uttaresh.V)