Open Talk
Scope
Date
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PEFs
Blackstone to open Seoul office for improved communication
The Blackstone Group is working to set up a Seoul office, seven years after the US investment firm closed it down, in response to growing calls from...
Feb 26, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Electric vehicles
Hyundai says not in talks with Apple over self-driving cars
Hyundai Motor Group said on Monday it is not engaged in talks with Apple Inc. over the development of an autonomous electric vehicle, throwing cold ...
Feb 08, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Pandemic relief funds
Long-term treasury yields surge on talk of new relief fund
The ruling Democratic Party’s push to hand out "a substantial amount" of new relief money has rattled the South Korean debt market, sending lo...
Feb 03, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Internet portal Naver in negotiations to buy Korea’s Jeju Bank
Naver Corp., South Korea’s top online portal, is interested in buying Jeju Bank, named for and based on the country's largest island, to secur...
Jan 19, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Electric vehicles
Hyundai Motor in early talks with Apple on EV tie-up; shares surge
Hyundai Motor Co. looks to be in the early stages of discussions with Apple Inc. to jointly develop and produce self-driving electric cars, a move t...
Jan 08, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
SKC in talks to sell stake in PET film-making China unit
SKC Ltd. of South Korea’s SK Group is in negotiations to sell a stake in its polyester (PET) film unit in China, which it values at 150 billio...
Jan 07, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Korean companies sit on record dry powder, may open M&A floodgates
South Korea’s major companies are sitting on a record amount of cash reserves, setting the foundation for the merger and acquisition (M&A)...
Jan 04, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
SK in talks to buy French biologics contract manufacturer
SK Holdings is in the early stages of negotiations to acquire France’s biologic contract manufacturing organization (CMO) Yposkesi, in a move ...
Dec 17, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Carlyle in final-stage talks to buy Korea’s No. 2 bakery chain
The Carlyle Group is in final stages of talks to buy South Korea’s No. 2 bakery chain Tous Les Jours from the country’s food and enterta...
Dec 07, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Batteries
SK Innovation opens 2nd China battery plant, eyes world’s top 3 spot
SK Innovation Co. has begun operating its second electric vehicle battery plant in China as the South Korean company expands its presence in the wor...
Nov 25, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Robotics
Korean medical robot opens a new era of neurosurgery in large hospitals
South Korea’s first neurosurgery robot, developed by 3D inspection device maker Koh Young Technology Inc., is ready to join the medical robot ma...
Nov 24, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Future mobility
Kakao, Google in talks over mobility partnerships
Kakao Mobility Corp., the transportation arm of South Korea's No. 1 messaging operator Kakao Corp., is in talks with global IT giant Google over pot...
Nov 22, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Future mobility
Hyundai Motor may buy Boston Dynamics to bolster robotics business
Hyundai Motor Co. may acquire Boston Dynamics Inc., a US-based robotics company, from Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp. in a deal worth as much as $1...
Nov 10, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean Air
Korean Air to raise $817 mn in rights issue; in talks with PEFs on asset sales
Korean Air Lines Co. Ltd. unveiled its largest rights offering plan on May 13 to raise 1 trillion won ($817 million) for debt repayment, after it open...
May 13, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Alternative investments
[ASK 2019 SUMMIT Panel Talks] NPS, KIC seek smaller GPs for niche infrastructure
The National Pension Service (NPS) and the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) are seeking small and medium-sized management companies to chase smaller...
Oct 26, 2019 (Gmt+09:00)
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Alternative investments
[ASK 2019 SUMMIT Panel Talks] Korean LPs lukewarm on sell-down properties
Major South Korean institutional investors have cooled their interest in overseas real estate assets sourced by domestic brokerage firms because of he...
Oct 25, 2019 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mirae Asset in exclusive talks to buy Anbang’s US hotels
Mirae Asset Financial Group has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire a portfolio of 15 US luxury hotels owned by Anbang Insurance Group, val...
Aug 26, 2019 (Gmt+09:00)
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Unison Capital in final stages of talks to sell Gong Cha to US PEF
Unison Capital Inc. is in the final stages of negotiations to sell Taiwan-style milk tea brand Gong Cha to US private equity firm TA Associates for ar...
Jul 31, 2019 (Gmt+09:00)
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Alternative investments
[ASK 2019 SUMMIT Panel Talks] Korean LPs uneasy at leverage of PE secondaries
The Government Employees Pension Service (GEPS) and two leading South Korean insurance firms have expressed unease about the excessive use of leverage...
May 24, 2019 (Gmt+09:00)
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Alternative investments
[ASK 2019 SUMMIT Panel Talks] Korean LPs call for more hedge fund communications
Korea Post and Kyobo Life Insurance Co. Ltd., the third-largest life insurer in South Korea, remain cautious about increasing exposure to hedge funds,...
May 21, 2019 (Gmt+09:00)
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Alternative investments
[ASK 2019 SUMMIT Panel Talks] Korean LPs eye 5-8% return on alternatives
Teachers’ Pension, the Public Officials Benefit Association (POBA) and the Military Mutual Aid Association (MMAA) are looking to increase global...
May 19, 2019 (Gmt+09:00)
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French PE Ardian opens 4th Asian office in Seoul
Paris-based private equity house Ardian has opened a Seoul office as its fourth Asian base, as South Korean institutional investors such as pension fu...
Dec 04, 2018 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean firms in talks to buy Credit Suisse’s Canary Wharf office
A consortium of South Korean financial institutions has been in exclusive talks to buy the Canary Wharf headquarters of Credit Suisse Group in a deal ...
Nov 30, 2018 (Gmt+09:00)
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[ASK 2018 SUMMIT Panel Talks] Korea teachers funds to boost Asia portfolios
The Korean Teachers’ Credit Union (KTCU) and the Korea Teachers’ Pension will step up real estate and infrastructure investments in Asia and other eme...
Oct 26, 2018 (Gmt+09:00)
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Alpha Investment in talks to sell Seoul building for over $850 mn
Singapore-based Alpha Investment Partners is in negotiations with Hana Financial Investment Co. Ltd. to sell a landmark office building across S...
Aug 16, 2018 (Gmt+09:00)
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[ASK 2018 SUMMIT Panel Talks] Korean LPs lean toward non-dollar assets
South Korean asset owners are increasingly turning to non-dollar assets because the weakening US dollar erodes expected returns after currency hedging...
Jun 08, 2018 (Gmt+09:00)
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[ASK 2018 SUMMIT Panel Talks] NPS keen on mid-cap PE; KIC eyes non-sponsored deals
The National Pension Service (NPS) plans to commit fresh capital to about four additional mid-cap private equity funds this year, focusing on the mana...
Jun 06, 2018 (Gmt+09:00)
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[ASK 2018 SUMMIT Panel Talks] NPS mulls investing in single hedge fund
The National Pension Service (NPS) is studying investing in a single hedge fund and the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) will switch towards small-s...
Jun 05, 2018 (Gmt+09:00)
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[ASK 2018 SUMMIT Panel Talks] Korean LPs see riskier private debt investment
Major South Korean institutional investors plan to raise exposure further to credit investments in search of steady cashflows and expect to see more i...
Jun 04, 2018 (Gmt+09:00)
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[ASK 2018 SUMMIT Panel Talks] Korean LPs eying Asia and secondaries PE deals
The Teachers’ Pension and the Military Mutual Aid Association (MMAA) are turning to the Asian private equity market with focus on growth sectors such ...
Jun 04, 2018 (Gmt+09:00)