Seoul shares fall to 3 mth-low on won, bank fears

*KOSPI sinks 4.16 pct

*Goldman says Korea "most vulnerable" among regional markets

*Automakers outperform after Feb sales data

(Updates to close)

By Jungyoun Park

SEOUL, March 2 (Reuters) - Seoul shares tumbled to their
lowest close in three months on Monday as fresh financial sector
worries and deepening economic concerns sent banks and exporter
issues lower, while a weaker won weighed on energy stocks.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) ended
down 4.16 percent at 1,018.81 points, its lowest close since
early December.

"Rapid falls in the won currency and worries about a
combination of factors, such as March crisis talk, troubles seen
in eastern European banks, and pains expected in nationalising
some troubled U.S. banks, combined are weighing on shares," said
Lee Jin-woo, a market analyst at Mirae Asset Securities, adding
that the main index could fall below the previous low of about
900 seen in late October.

Foreign investors were sellers of a net 416.4 billion won,
continuing a non-stop selling spree that started Feb 10.

The U.S. government will boost its equity stake in Citigroup
to as much as 36 percent and will also pour another $30 billion
or so into American International Group Inc (AIG).
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Meanwhile the won KRW= ended local trade down 2.3 percent
to hit an 11-year closing low on Monday.

Goldman Sachs said in its report on Monday that "within the
[Pan Asia] region, we think Korea is most vulnerable ... high
foreign short futures positions could increase volatility,"
adding that it sees the KOSPI's year-end level at 945 points, and
the year's low at 735 points.

The U.S. investment bank cited South Korea's heavy exposure
to exports, external funding issues, which are magnified by the
won's depreciation, as some of the key risks.

Falls were led by financials, with Shinhan Financial Group
(055550.KS) retreating 5.58 percent and Woori Finance Holdings
(053000.KS) losing 6.22 percent.

Crude refiners, which as importers of crude from overseas
have heavy foreign debts, also sank, with GS Holdings
(078930.KS), the holding company of GS Caltex, sliding 5.1
percent and Honam Petrochemical (011170.KS) down 5.53 percent.

Meanwhile worries about weakening export conditions sent
exporters lower, after the South Korean government said on Monday
that exports in February fell 17.1 percent from a year earlier.
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Hynix Semiconductor (000660.KS), the world's No.2 maker of
memory chips, fell 5.79 percent and Hyundai Heavy Industries
(009540.KS), the world's No.1 shipbuilder, finished down 6.2
percent.

However, some car makers outperformed after posting February
sales data. Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) ended 3.49 percent lower
after reporting that its sales during last month fell 3.2 percent
year-on-year, but up about 13 percent from January.
[ID:nSEL000512]

Ssangyong Motor (003620.KS) climbed 1.22 percent after
company data showed February sales jumped 44.1 percent from a
month ago, although they were down 69.4 percent on the year.
[ID:nSEO197744]

(Editing by Ken Wills)