(Corrects monthly performance to a loss from a gain in paragraph 3)
* KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers
* Korean won weakens against dollar
* South Korea benchmark bond yield steady
SEOUL, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares fell on Wednesday, as heavyweight chipmakers dropped after Samsung Electronics reported its fourth-quarter results. The won weakened, while the benchmark bond yield was steady.
** The benchmark KOSPI fell 6.08 points, or 0.24%, to 2,492.73 by 0153 GMT.
** For the month, the KOSPI was down around 6%, set for its first monthly loss in three months.
** Samsung Electronics fell 1.21% and peer SK Hynix lost 1.68%, dragging down the benchmark index.
** Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest memory chip maker, flagged a continued recovery in memory chips and tech demand in 2024, after reporting a 34% on-year drop in fourth-quarter profit despite a memory price rebound.
** Overnight, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 1.6%, also weighing on South Korean chipmakers.
** On the macroeconomic level, investor focus is on the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting outcome due later in the day and South Korea's trade data due on Thursday.
** Among other index heavyweights, battery makers and automakers rose, but online platform companies fell.
** Of the total 933 traded issues, 310 shares advanced, while 567 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 9.3 billion won ($6.98 million) on the main board.
** They have so far bought 3.4 trillion won this month and are likely to end the month with the biggest purchase since May 2023.
** The won was quoted at 1,332.2 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.21% lower than its previous close at 1,329.4.
** The won has fallen more than 3% so far this month, on course for its worst monthly performance since August.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds rose 0.05 point to 104.96.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 0.8 basis point to 3.259%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 0.6 basis point to 3.354%. ($1 = 1,331.9000 won) (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)