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KOSPI flat, foreigners net buyers

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Korean won weakens against dollar

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South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

SEOUL, March 7 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares traded flat on Tuesday, weighed down by dominant chat app Kakao Corp, while investors took a cautious approach ahead of China's trade data and comments by the chiefs of the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Korea.

** The Korean won weakened, while the benchmark bond yield fell.

** The benchmark KOSPI held its ground at 2,463.59, as of 0113 GMT, trading in a narrow range of between -0.3% and 0.1%.

** China likely again exported and imported less in January-February than a year earlier, backing policymakers' fears that a slowing global economy could drag on growth at home, according to a Reuters poll.

** Investor focus was also on potential remarks by Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong as well as a Congressional testimony by U.S. Fed's Jerome Powell later in the day.

** "U.S. stock market was volatile overnight and there is caution that Powell may speak in a more hawkish tone," said Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities.

** Heavyweight Kakao dropped 3% after the company and its subsidiary Kakao Entertainment said they are tendering an offer to purchase up to 35% of K-pop agency SM Entertainment, the latest in a battle with BTS-manager HYBE to take over SM.

** Shares of SM Entertainment jumped 15% to scale a record high.

** Technology giant Samsung Electronics fell 0.65% and peer SK Hynix lost 0.33%, but battery maker LG Energy Solution advanced 1.28%.

** Of the total 930 issues traded, only 321 shares gained.

** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 55.6 billion won ($42.76 million).

** The won was quoted at 1,299.6 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.21% lower than its previous close at 1,296.9.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.07 point to 103.27.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 1.8 basis points to 3.800%, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell 0.9 basis point to 3.732%.

($1 = 1,300.2800 won) (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)