(Corrects seventh paragraph to replace Goldman with Credit Suisse for Korea Life's IPO mandate)

* South Korea's top life insurer to go public in H1 2010

* To pick lead managers in December

* No comment on possible IPO size (Adds details, background)

SEOUL, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Samsung Life, South Korea's largest life insurer, said it was aiming to go public in the first half of next year and planning to pick lead managers in December.

The company would be joining a series of planned insurance offerings in Asia estimated to represent as much as $20 billion over the next three years. [ID:nSEO144513]

The Asian insurance IPO candidate list includes AIG's (AIG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) AIA, Shanghai-traded China Pacific Insurance (601601.SS: Quote, Profile, Research), which aims to raise $3.5 billion in Hong Kong, Reliance Life in India and Japan's Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance.

"If the process goes through smoothly, an IPO could be possible within 6 or 7 months," said Cho Tae-hyun, a spokesman for Samsung Life. He added that no decisions had yet been made regarding the size of the offering.

Tong Yang Life Insurance (082640.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) became South Korea's first listed life insurer in September. It priced its IPO at 17,000 won, the bottom of its indicated range, and was trading at 14,700 won as of midday Monday.