(Updates to mid-morning) 
    By Park Jung-youn 
    SEOUL, July 21 (Reuters) - Seoul shares traded higher on 
Monday, with easier oil lending support to transporters and some 
manufacturers, while better-than-expected quarterly results from 
a major U.S. bank lifted financials such as Kookmin Bank. 
    The Korea Composite Stock Price Index <.KS11> was up 2.33 
percent to 1,545.18 points as of 0030 GMT, after opening 1.37 
percent higher. 
    "As earnings season comes into full swing investors are 
expecting solid results from South Korea's blue chip firms," said 
Kim Seong-bong, a market analyst at Samsung Securities. 
    "Coupled with falling oil prices and better-than-expected 
results from U.S. banks like Citigroup, the index is making a 
belated recovery," Kim added. 
    "Much of the buying taking place today is program buying, and 
I am not sure if the rebound can be sustained for a meaningful 
period," said Kim Joong-hyun, a market analyst at Goodmorning 
Shinhan Securities. 
    As of 0031 GMT, foreigners were net sellers of 45 billion won 
worth of shares, heading for an unprecedented 31st consecutive 
selling session. 
    Gains were led by exporters in the tech and automaking 
sectors, with LG Electronics <066570.KS>, which is set to report 
strong quarterly earnings on Monday thanks to high margins at its 
mobile phone unit, rising 3.21 percent to 112,500 won. 
    Samsung Electronics <005930.KS> rose 1.55 percent to 591,000 
won and Hynix Semiconductor <000660.KS> was up 2.43 percent to 
23,200 won. 
    Hyundai Motor <005380.KS> and Kia Motors <000270.KS> also 
gained, with Hyundai Motor climbing 2.64 percent to 70,000 won 
and Kia Motors up 1.76 percent to 11,550 won. 
    Easier oil below $129 a barrel helped boost shares in 
airlines, with Korean Air Line <003490.KS> jumping 4.05 percent 
to 45,000 won and Asiana Airlines <020560.KS> rising 2.37 percent 
to 4,960 won. 
    Meanwhile news on Friday that Citigroup Inc <C.N.> posted 
smaller-than-expected quarterly losses, sending its shares up 
nearly 9 percent, also boosted sentiment towards South Korean 
financials. [ID:nN18431251] 
    Kookmin Bank <060000.KS> went up 3.97 percent to 55,000 won 
and Shinhan Financial Group <055550.KS> rose 3.35 percent to 
43,250 won. Hana Financial Group <086790.KS> climbed 4.04 percent 
to 36,050 won. 
    ((Editing by Jonathan Hopfner; [email protected]; +82 
2 3704 5643; Reuters Messaging: 
[email protected])) 
Keywords: MARKETS KOREA STOCKS/  
    ASIA-PACIFIC STOCK MARKETS: 
 Pan-Asia........[STXNEWS/AS] Japan.......[.T]   S.Korea...[.KS] 
 S.E. Asia.......[.SO]        Hong Kong...[.HK]  Taiwan....[.TW] 
 Australia/NZ....[.AX]        India.......[.BO]  China.....[.SS] 
    OTHER MARKETS: 
 Wall Street ....[.N]         Gold.......[GOL/]  Currency.[FRX/] 
 Eurostocks......[.EU]        Oil .......[O/R]   JP bonds..[JP/] 
 ADR Report .....[ADR/]       LME metals.[MET/L] US bonds..[US/] 
 Stocks News US..[STXNEWS/US] Stocks News Europe    [STXNEWS/EU] 
    DIARIES & DATA: 
 Asia earnings diary [ASIA/EQTY] 
 U.S. earnings diary  [RESF/US]  European diary       [WEU/EQTY] 
 South Korea diary   [KR/DIARY]  Wall Street Week Ahead   [.N/O] 
 Eurostocks Week Ahead  [.EU/O] 
    TOP NEWS: 
 For top Asian company news, double click on:          [nTOPEQA] 
 U.S. company news    [TOP/EQU]  European company news [TOP/EQE] 
 Forex news           [TOP/FRX]  Global Economy news [TOP/MACRO] 
 Technology news     [TOP/TECH]  Telecoms news       [TOP/TELCO] 
 Media news         [TOP/MEDIA]  Banking news          [TOP/FIN] 
 Politics/General news  [TOP/G]  Asia Macro data     <ASIATODAY> 
 A multimedia version of Reuters Top News is available at: 
 http://topnews.session.rservices.com 
    LIVE PRICES & DATA: 
 World Stocks          <0#.INDEX>  Currency rates  <EFX=> <NFX=> 
 Dow Jones/NASDAQ  <.DJI> <.IXIC>  Nikkei                <.N225> 
 FTSE 100                 <.FTSE>  Debt     <0#USBMK=> <EURIBOR> 
 South Korean won          <KRW=>  LME price overview    <RING=>