Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares on Friday closed at their lowest in more than two years, as automakers and electric-vehicle battery manufacturers slid, with the benchmark index marking its first monthly decline in three.

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

** The benchmark KOSPI ended down 15.44 points, or 0.71%, at 2,155.49 — the lowest close since July 10, 2020.

** The index shed 5.9% for the week, the biggest since mid-June. For the month, it dropped 12.8%, the first decline in three, and 7.6% for the quarter, the fifth in a row.

** South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday called for more sense of urgency in dealing with heightened volatility in financial markets.

** "Auto stocks, which had been comparatively solid amid macroeconomic uncertainties, slumped on heightened worries about weaker demand and dragged the index lower," said Choi Yoo-june, an analyst at Shinhan Financial Investment.

** Losses were the sharpest for automakers and electric vehicle battery manufacturers that tracked U.S. peers' weakness overnight.

** Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp lost 2.75% and 3.49%, respectively, while LG Energy Solution fell 3.07%, Samsung SDI dropped 3.53%, and SK Innovation declined 1.71%.

** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 162.6 billion won ($113.48 million) on the main board.

** The won was last quoted at 1,430.2 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, up 0.61%.

** The currency weakened 1.46% for the week, the eighth in a row, 6.47% for the month, the biggest in 11 years, and 9.22% for the quarter, also the fastest since the third quarter of 2011.

** In money and debt markets, December futures on three-year treasury bonds rose 0.36 point to 101.88.

** FTSE Russell said it may add South Korea to its world bond index, paving the way for a potentially huge boost in capital inflows to the country.

** The most liquid 3-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 10.9 basis points to 4.214%, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell by 11.8 basis points to 4.109%. ($1 = 1,432.9100 won) (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; editing by Uttaresh.V)