South Korean shares end lower on Trump tariff, EV worries

SEOUL, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares ended lower on Tuesday, erasing early gains, on worries about U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff and electric-vehicle (EV) policies.

** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed down 2.02 points, or 0.08%, at 2,518.03, after rising more than 1% to the highest level since mid-November.

** Trump said on the first day of his second presidency that he was considering imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico next month.

** "The market fell on Trump's tariffs comments. It is inevitable to see heightened volatility for the time being with nothing decided yet," said Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities. "Investors, when they started trading early morning, were relieved that there was no comment specifically mentioning tariffs."

** South Korea's acting president Choi Sang-mok said the government would review response measures to Trump's proposed policies, particularly on tariffs and electric vehicles.

** Battery makers dropped, with LG Energy Solution 373220.KS losing 4.3% after Trump revoked the previous Biden administration's executive order on EVs.

** The shipbuilding sector, on Trump's radar for cooperation, rallied, with HD Hyundai Mipo 010620.KS soaring 10% and Hanwha Ocean 042660.KS gaining 6%.

** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS, which has operations in Mexico, fell 0.96%.

** Of the total 944 traded issues, 388 shares advanced, while 487 declined.

** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 174.2 billion won ($120.92 million).

** The won was quoted at 1,439.5 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.03% higher than its previous close at 1,440.0.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 rose 0.14 points to 106.92.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell by 4.8 basis points to 2.576%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell by 4.9 basis points to 2.815%.

($1 = 1,440.6500 won)

(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Janane Venkatraman)

((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))