Deals

IPOs
Korean stock markets set for record-high IPOs in 2021
Initial public offerings in South Korea are expected to top 20 trillion won ($18 billion) in value this year, the largest amount for a single year in the country, with a greater number of high-profile companies, including LG Energy Solution Co., pr
Feb 16, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Corporate bonds
LG Chem to issue over $1 bn in bonds; largest amount ever
South Korea-based LG Chem Ltd. is set to issue 1.2 trillion won ($1.1 billion) worth of bonds this week, making it the largest won-denominated bond ...
Feb 15, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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IPOs
Coupang applies for IPO on New York Stock Exchange
Coupang Corp., 37% owned by SoftBank Group, is set to become the first Korean company to list directly on the New York Stock Exchange, with its valu...
Feb 14, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Future mobility
Uber, T Map Mobility JV wins antitrust approval; set to launch in April
South Korea's antitrust regulator has approved the proposed joint venture between the US-based ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc. and T M...
Feb 10, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Match Group buys Korean video chat startup for $1.73 bn
Match Group, the operator of the world’s largest dating app Tinder, has agreed to buy 100% of South Korea’s leading video chat startup...
Feb 10, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Corporate bonds
LG Chem's bond issue raises over $2 bn in demand
South Korea-based LG Chem Ltd. received around 2.5 trillion won ($2.3 billion) worth of orders in the bookbuilding for its 600 billion won corporate...
Feb 09, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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IPOs
SK Bioscience aims for March listing; enterprise value may reach $4.5 bn
South Korea-based SK Bioscience Co. is planning its trading debut next month on the country's main bourse, Kospi. The company's enterprise value is ...
Feb 08, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Corporate restructuring
SK Telecom creates dedicated IPO team to boost valuation
South Korea’s largest mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. has set up an exclusive team to oversee the initial public offering process for its affili...
Feb 07, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
IMM PE to shortlist buyers for Taihan Electric Wire
South Korea-based IMM Private Equity is set to announce shortlisted candidates for the sale of Taihan Electric Wire Co. next week. The deal has dr...
Feb 07, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Hyundai Heavy seals $757 mn stake purchase in Doosan Infracore
South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Co. signed a definitive agreement on Friday to buy a controlling stake in Doosan Infracore Co....
Feb 05, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Australia’s SEEK looking for financial partner to bid for JobKorea
SEEK, Australia’s largest job site, has been in discussions with private equity firms to put in a binding bid in a consortium for South Korea&...
Feb 05, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Mando acquires JV to boost footing in autonomous vehicle industry
South Korea-based Mando Corp. is set to acquire electronic auto parts maker Mando-Hella Electronics Corp. in a deal valued at 165 billion won ($148 ...
Feb 03, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
SK E&S to sell 49% stake in city gas businesses; valued over $900 mn
South Korea-based energy company SK E&S Co. is pushing to liquidate its assets by carrying out a stake sale in its profitable city gas businesse...
Feb 03, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
3 Min readlanguage -
Mergers & Acquisitions
SK E&S to sell 49% stake in city gas businesses; valued over $895 mn
South Korea-based energy company SK E&S Co. is pushing to liquidate its assets by carrying out a stake sale in its profitable city gas businesse...
Feb 02, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Behind the scenes of Naver’s $600 mn Wattpad purchase
Last August, online portal Naver Corp. entered into exclusive talks with Toronto-based Wattpad Corp. to buy a stake in the world’s largest web...
Feb 01, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Business & Politics
Samsung on lookout for M&As; auto chipmakers among prime targets
Samsung Electronics Co., sitting on a cash pile of more than 100 trillion won ($90 billion), is actively pursuing mergers and acquisitions, with som...
Jan 31, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
3 Min readlanguage -
Platform investment
Naver plans over $1 bn bond issue in H1 to finance platform investment
Naver Corp., South Korea’s top online portal, plans a bond issue worth as much as 1.26 trillion won ($1.13 billion) in local and ove...
Jan 31, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
US auto startup set to buy 51% of Ssangyong Motor for $250 mn
HAAH Automotive Holdings Inc., a US automobile distributor, is planning to inject $250 million into South Korea's Ssangyong Motor Co. to take a 51% ...
Jan 29, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Pre-IPOs
Google to invest $270 mn in Kakao Mobility with Carlyle
Google Inc. is planning to invest around $270 million in Kakao Mobility Corp., the transportation arm of South Korea's No. 1 messaging operator Kaka...
Jan 29, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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IPOs
LG Energy Solution hires Morgan Stanley, KB Securities as lead IPO managers
South Korea-based LG Energy Solution has hired KB Securities and Morgan Stanley as the lead managers for its initial public offering, which is antic...
Jan 28, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
KDB mulls sale of HMM to POSCO
South Korea's state-run bank is considering selling HMM Co., the country's largest container line, to steelmaker POSCO as the shipping industry expe...
Jan 27, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
3 Min readlanguage -
Investment Fund
SK, China’s Geely eye investment fund for hydrogen, eco-friendly business
South Korea’s SK Holdings Co. and China’s Geely Auto Group are looking to set up a joint fund designed to invest in hydrogen and other e...
Jan 27, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
2 Min readlanguage -
IPOs
Hyundai Heavy plans IPO this year; valuation to approach $4.5 bn
South Korea-based Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. is planning a trading debut this year, with the proceeds marked for future growth engines to power th...
Jan 26, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Ssangyong heads for court protection as Mahindra backs off
India’s Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. has pulled out of talks to sell Ssangyong Motor Co. to HAAH Automotive Holdings Inc., a US automobile distr...
Jan 25, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Shipping & Shipbuilding
SM Line eyes H2 IPO on Korean bourse, aims to expand US trade
South Korea’s SM Group, formerly known as Samla Midas Group, is pushing for an initial public offering of its merchant liner, SM Line Corp., o...
Jan 25, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Affiliates merge to become Kakao Entertainment; aim global
South Korea’s leading mobile app operator Kakao Corp.’s affiliates are set to merge to become a new entity, Kakao Entertainment, heraldi...
Jan 25, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Upcoming IPOs
Naver-invested startups line up for IPOs; market seems welcome
South Korean startups invested in by top online portal Naver Corp. are gearing up for debuts on the local bourse amid expectations of a welcome mark...
Jan 25, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Seoul to lower bar for M&As; easing rules over PEF deals
South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is lowering the bar for mergers and acquisitions by including potential rivals, which have yet to en...
Jan 24, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
LG hires Kim & Chang as advisor for mobile division sale
LG Electronics Inc. has mandated South Korea’s largest law firm Kim & Chang as the legal advisor for its smartphone division sale, accor...
Jan 22, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Vingroup eyes LG’s smartphone business: Reports
Vietnam’s largest conglomerate Vingroup is interested in acquiring part of LG Electronics Inc.’s smartphone operation to bolster its hig...
Jan 22, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
2 Min read
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