* KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers

* Korean won strengthens against dollar

* South Korea benchmark bond yield flat

SEOUL, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets: ** South Korean shares rose on Friday but were set for the sharpest weekly decline since at least mid-April, as fears of U.S. recession rippled through global markets. The won gained against the dollar while the benchmark bond yield was unchanged.

** The benchmark KOSPI rose 37.87 points, or 1.48%, to 2,594.60 by 00:21 GMT. For the week, the index is down 3.3%, set for the sharpest weekly drop since April 15 when it declined 3.4%.

** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics rose 2.32% and peer SK Hynix gained 4.59%, while battery maker LG Energy Solution climbed 1.09%.

** Hyundai Motor added 2.54% and sister automaker Kia Corp gained 1.38%, while search engine Naver and instant messenger Kakao were up 3.63% and 0.26%, respectively.

** Of the total of 919 traded issues, 739 shares advanced, while 138 declined.

** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 27.0 billion won on the main board on Friday.

** The won was quoted at 1,377.2 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, steady with its previous close at 1,377.2.

** In offshore trade, the won was quoted at 1,375.6 per dollar, down 0.2% on the day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,372.7.

** The KOSPI has fallen 2.29% so far this year, and lost 8.2% in the previous 30 trading sessions. ** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.07 point to 105.91.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield was flat at 2.930%, while the benchmark 10-year yield was flat at 2.997%. (Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)