* KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers

* Korean won strengthens against dollar

* South Korea benchmark bond yield rises

SEOUL, May 19 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares rose for a fifth straight session on Friday, helped by gains in heavyweight chipmakers, and were set to end the week higher for the first time in five weeks.

** The won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield rose.

** The benchmark KOSPI rose 18.37 points, or 0.73%, to 2,533.77, as of 0125 GMT. It was set to end the week with a more than 2% gain.

** Chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rose 2.87% and 4.06%, respectively, joining a global rally in the semiconductor sector.

** "The semiconductor sector is benefiting from growing hopes for artificial intelligence-related technologies," said analyst Kim Seok-hwan at Mirae Asset Securities.

** South Korea's finance minister held a meeting with China's ambassador to the country to discuss economic cooperation, at a time when the trade-reliant country has been hit by a slump in exports.

** South Korean companies with exposure to China business jumped, with media content producer CJ ENM gaining 2.5% and online game developer Netmarble rising 1.5%.

** Beauty product makers LG Household & Healthcare and Amorepacific Corp advanced 2% and 1.2%, respectively.

** Among other index heavyweights, search engine Naver and instant messenger Kakao rose about 1% each, but battery makers and automakers fell.

** Of the total 924 issues traded, 527 shares rose.

** Korean Air Line and Asiana Airlines showed muted reaction to a report that the U.S. Justice Department was considering a lawsuit to block their merger.

** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 235.0 billion won ($177.90 million).

** The won was quoted at 1,332.0 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.17% higher than its previous close.

** The won was set to end the week higher with a less than 1% rise.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 6.1 basis points to 3.378%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 5.9 basis points to 3.427%. ($1 = 1,320.9300 won) (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)