* KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers

* Korean won strengthens against U.S. dollar

* South Korea benchmark bond yield rises

* For the midday report, please click

SEOUL, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares on Friday posted their sharpest weekly gain in six, driven by chip shares, on optimism over the earnings season and as movements in U.S. bond yields and dollar stabilised. The won and the benchmark bond yield both rose.

** The KOSPI ended 26.42 points, or 0.88%, higher at 3,015.06, extending gains to a third consecutive session.

** That tracked Wall Street overnight after data showed a fall in new claims for unemployment benefits, lower-than-expected factory gate price inflation and forecast-beating results for the four largest U.S. consumer banks.

** The benchmark index gained 1.99% for the week, the first weekly gain in four and marking the fastest pace since early September.

** Leading the benchmark gains were chip giants, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rising 1.01% and 4.90%, respectively, following an upbeat quarterly earnings result from a Taiwan chipmaker TSMC.

** Foreigners were net buyers of 86.0 billion won ($72.77 million) worth of shares on the main board.

** Meanwhile, the country said on Friday it would lift stringent anti-coronavirus curbs on social gatherings next week, as the country prepares to switch to a 'living with COVID-19' strategy amid rising vaccination levels.

** The won ended at 1,182.4 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.37% higher than its previous close.

** It gained 1.03% on a weekly basis, snapping a five-week losing streak.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,182.4 per dollar, down 0.1% from the previous day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,183.1.

** In money and debt markets, December futures on three-year treasury bonds rose 0.06 points to 108.83.

** The benchmark 10-year yield rose by 0.4 basis points to 2.355%. ($1 = 1,181.8500 won) (Reporting by Joori Roh; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)