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KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers

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Korean won strengthens against dollar

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South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

SEOUL, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares rose on Thursday, tracking Wall Street's strength, but caution ahead of U.S. inflation data capped the gains. The Korean won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield fell.

** The KOSPI was up 3.95 points, or 0.17%, at 2,363.48 as of 0139 GMT. The benchmark index rose as much as 0.77% to hit the highest intraday level since Dec. 15, 2022.

** KOSPI is also on course to extend its gains to a seventh consecutive session - the longest since early-December 2021.

** "The local market is paring gains, as investors wait for U.S. inflation data due later in the day and after consecutive rising sessions in recent days," said Choi Yoo-june, an analyst at Shinhan Securities.

** Technology giant Samsung Electronics fell 0.50%, peer SK Hynix lost 1.15%, and battery maker LG Energy Solution declined 0.11%.

** Kakao fell 0.81%, reversing its early gain of as much as 2.42% on 1.2 trillion won investment by global sovereign wealth funds in its entertainment unit. Peer Naver was down 0.51%.

** Still, 484 shares advanced among 930 traded issues, including automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp which were up 1.22% and 0.31%, respectively.

** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 57.3 billion won ($45.98 million).

** The won was quoted at 1,244.3 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, up 0.15%.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.07 point to 104.50.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 2.0 basis points to 3.461%, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell by 3.8 basis points to 3.389%. ($1 = 1,246.1300 won) (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; editing by Uttaresh.V)