Korea Development Bank (KDB) and Korea Ocean Business Corporation announced on Feb. 7 that negotiations on the sale of Korean container shipping company HMM have been held with a consortium of Harim Group’s Pan Ocean and JKL as a preferred bidder, but their meeting finally ended empty-handed.“During
With about one week to go until the end of negotiations for the sale of HMM, new uncertainties are affecting the future of the negotiations as global shipping industry alliances begin to reorganize. With the management of HMM in limbo as Denmark’s Maersk and Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd form a new alliance
SoftBank Ventures Asia is officially changing its company name to SBVA from beginning of February 1st after The Edgeof acquired the company from SoftBank Group Corp.(SBG) in June of last year. The new SBVA embraces the concept of technological singularities and the broader impacts of the virtues of
On Dec. 18, Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Korea Ocean Business Corporation (KOBC) announced the selection of the Pan Ocean-JKL consortium as the preferred bidder for the acquisition of the management rights of HMM, the largest ocean container shipping company in South Korea. After negotiation
The acquisition battle for South Korea’s largest shipping company HMM has narrowed to a competition between Dongwon Group and Harim Group.According to investment banking (IB) sources on Nov. 23, HMM’s bondholders, including Korea Development Bank (KDB), Korea Ocean Business Corporation, and the sell
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at ys.jung@nhqv.com -- Ed.The transportation industry enjoyed a market boom during the pandemic era, but with trade volume growth slowing and supply growth accelerating, supply burden has increased, bringing down tariffs. The
The Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea (BAI) is reportedly closely examining whether there were any unfair privileges taken or solicitation involved in the process of the government’s shares returning to the private sector. This scrutiny pertains to the massive policy fund-supported restructurin
The controversy surrounding the “Asiana Airlines Cargo Business Separation Sale,” which has emerged as a key issue in the merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, is intensifying. As the Asiana Airlines board is set to decide on the separation sale of the cargo business on Oct. 30, both current and
Chairman Kang Seok-hoon of Korea Development Bank has expressed his intention to not push for a forced sale in connection with the shipping company HMM. Regarding the merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, he mentioned the possibility of a low recovery of public funds and put pressure on the Asia
According to industry sources on Oct. 22, a board meeting of Asiana Airlines, considered a pivotal aspect of the merger with Korean Air, will take place on Oct. 30.If the proposal to sell Asiana Airlines’ cargo business in response to the European Union’s (EU) regulatory demands is rejected during t
The ongoing takeover battle for HMM, which had been a three-way competition between Harim Group, LX Group, and Dongwon Group, could face another twist. There’s speculation that POSCO might enter the acquisition fray, intensifying the competition among potential acquirers. Amid this, the prospective
South Korea’s major government-run banks and commercial banks, including the Korea Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of Korea, Kookmin Bank, and Woori Bank, are planning to provide multi-million-dollar loans for Hanwha Group’s 24 trillion won (US$17.71 billion) investment in a U.S. liquefied
South Korean defense industry firms have entered into a second-stage weapons export contract with Poland worth 30 trillion won (US$22.12 billion). This would elevate South Korea to the fourth-largest defense industry exporter worldwide in one go. However, the finalization of the contract, which was
Domestic hedge fund and private equity firm Brain Asset Management has embarked on a US$500 million (675 billion won) pre-IPO investment in SK pharmteco, which involves investing in the company’s equity before it goes public. Following an initial investment of US$300 million (405 billion won), it ha
JKL Partners, which has entered the race for the acquisition of HMM worth 5 trillion won (US$3.76 billion) after forming a consortium with Harim Group, is accelerating its efforts to secure funding through the sale of Lotte Insurance.According to the investment banking industry on Sept. 19, Private
As three groups – LX International, a consortium led by Harim, and Dongwon Industries – were selected as potential candidates for HMM’s acquisition and has begun due diligence process for two months, the industry is already witnessing negative speculation.The uncertainty surrounding HMM’s management
As the three-way compressed battle for the acquisition of HMM involving Harim Group, LX Group, and Dongwon Group intensifies, the possibility of candidates with insufficient cash assets making a successful acquisition has increased. This has raised questions about their financial capabilities and th
The sale of HMM, formerly known as Hyundai Merchant Marine, is facing delays beyond the initial expectations. Korea Development Bank (KDB) is currently continuing its evaluation of eligible buyer candidates, a process it had aimed to complete within this month.According to financial industry sources
In the process of selecting eligible acquisition candidates for a shortlist for HMM, the largest container shipping company in Germany, Hapag-Lloyd, which had expressed interest in the acquisition, has been excluded. As a result, it is anticipated that the acquisition battle will unfold as a three-w
HMM potential acquirers Harim and Dongwon as well as LX and the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd are currently undergoing eligibility assessments for the acquisition of HMM, formerly known as Hyundai Merchant Marine. In the meantime, Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Korea Ocean Business Corpo