South Korean shares rise 1% on tariff optimism despite Trump's comments

SEOUL, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

South Korean shares climbed 1% on Tuesday, as investors remained optimistic that the effects of U.S. tariffs would be less severe than expected, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks about potentially imposing additional tariffs.

The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was up 25.74 points, or 1.02%, at 2,547.01, as of 0057 GMT.

Trump said on Monday he was looking at tariffs on cars, semiconductor chips and pharmaceuticals.

Among the KOSPI's top 10 heavyweights, chipmakers, auto and biopharmaceutical stocks account for six of them.

The top three sectors driving South Korea's exports to the U.S. to a record high last year were automobiles, chips, and auto parts.

South Korea's exports grew marginally in the first 10 days of this month from a year earlier, as shipments to the United States fell, data showed. nP8N3OC00Z

"The market is pinned to hopes that the impact of tariffs would not be as severe," said Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities.

"Tariffs are seen more as bargaining chips for negotiations, but when they are actually implemented and start to have a direct impact, market volatility will inevitably heighten," Seo said.

Chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 0.72%, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 0.91%. Hyundai Motor 005380.KS added 1.05%, though sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS lost 0.11%.

Samsung Biologics 207940.KS jumped 3.98%, while biopharmaceutical peer Celltrion 068270.KS climbed 1.01%.

Of the total 941 traded issues, 498 shares advanced, while 372 declined.

Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 10.7 billion won ($7.38 million).

The won was quoted at 1,452.8 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.10% lower than its previous close at 1,451.3.

The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell by 2.8 basis points to 2.611%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR dropped 4.4 basis points to 2.810%.

($1 = 1,450.5100 won)