* KOSPI falls, foreigners net buyers

* Korean won strengthens against U.S. dollar

* South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

* For the midday report, please click

SEOUL, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares ended lower on Thursday, dragged by institutional sell-off on the day of KOSPI options expiry and ahead of the central bank rate decision, while retail investors refrained from making big bets ahead of the long-awaited public subscription for LG Energy Solution's $10.7 billion IPO.

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

** The benchmark KOSPI closed down 10.39 points, or 0.35%, at 2,962.09, reversing early gains of 0.32%. It rose 1.54% on Wednesday.

** Among the heavyweights, Samsung Electronics and LG Chem fell 1.27% and 2.33%, respectively, while SK Hynix and Samsung Biologics added 0.78% and 0.93% each.

** Battery maker LG Energy Solution's IPO has received bids worth around $80 billion from institutional investors, according to sources, 13 times more than the offered $6 billion, while the public subscription for retail investors will take place on Jan. 18 and 19.

** Meanwhile, U.S. December inflation data showed price pressures surging, but the data came in line with expectations, which appeared to have reassured investors.

** The Bank of Korea holds its policy meeting on Friday, where it is expected to raise the base rate to 1.25% to restrain inflationary risks and financial imbalances.

** Capping the benchmark index's decline, foreign investors net bought 368.7 billion won ($310.45 million) worth of KOSPI shares.

** The won ended at 1,187.5 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, the strongest level in two weeks and 0.25% higher than its previous close.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,187.7, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,188.3.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds rose 0.12 point to 108.62.

** The benchmark 10-year yield fell by 3.3 basis points to 2.395%. ($1 = 1,187.6300 won) (Reporting by Joori Roh)