BlackRock in talks to acquire Korea’s ESG-focused IGIS Private Equity

BlackRock Inc., the world’s largest asset manager, is in talks to acquire IGIS Private Equity, a South Korea-based firm specialized in eco-fri...

A generation indebted: Young Koreans struggle under record loans in Q1

Young South Koreans are drowning in debt.Korean youths in their 20s and 30s are reeling under growing personal debt as they aggressively take out pe...

BOK ratchets up warning over asset price bubble, private debt

The recent asset price rises in South Korea, in particular in the equities and real estate markets, have been too rapid, even considering an expecte...

Blackstone-invested handbag maker Simone applies for IPO review

South Korea’s luxury handbag maker Simone Acc. Collection Ltd., 30% owned by US private equity firm Blackstone, has kicked off a process to li...

Korean insurers finance Carlyle's $2 bn deal with ESG debt

South Korean life insurers have made an environmental, social and governance (ESG)-themed investment in The Carlyle Group's €2 billion ($2.4 bi...

Goldman Sachs zeros in on midmarket, ESG infrastructure deals

Goldman Sachs Asset Management focuses on middle-market, value-add strategy for infrastructure deals, targeting the sectors undergoing a digital tra...

Madison Capital Funding raises $460 mn from Korea

A private debt fund managed by Madison Capital Funding, a US middle-market lender, has received a combined $460 million in commitments from seven So...

Hana, ECP signs $300 mn infra investment partnership

South Korea's Hana Financial Investment Co. has signed a $300 million strategic partnership with US energy infrastructure-specialized firm ECP to in...

Sculptor Capital bets on non-traditional real estate

Non-traditional real estate assets such as cell towers, parking lots and marinas will likely provide significant investment opportunities to debt in...

IMM Private Equity to acquire 40% stake in SK Lubricants for $900 million

Seoul-based IMM Private Equity will acquire a 40% stake in South Korea’s SK Lubricants Co., wholly owned by SK Innovation Co., for about one t...

IMF warns against South Korea's debt explosion

South Korea needs to closely monitor government spending to avoid a future debt explosion given its rapidly aging population, according to a senior ...

S.Korea's public debt tops GDP for first time in 2020

South Korea's government debt surpassed its gross domestic product for the first time in 2020, with public debt reaching its highest level ever foll...

SoftBank-backed Balance Hero raises $10 mn in debt funding from India

South Korean fintech startup Balance Hero has raised around $10 million in debt funding led by the India-based non-banking financial company (NBFC) ...

Naver issues $500 million in first foreign debt amid strong demand

South Korea’s top online portal Naver Corp. has successfully issued its first foreign currency bonds worth $500 million amid strong demand as ...

Kakao’s private affiliates post record growth in 2020

South Korean tech giant Kakao’s unlisted subsidiaries have posted record-high growth figures for the previous financial year. According to Kak...

KIC names new private equity, absolute return heads

The Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) has named new heads of its private equity and absolute return groups this week, following the replacement of ...

Korea Resources seeks sale of Australia coal mine to slash debt

Korea Resources Corp. is planning to sell its 82.25% stake in a coal mine in Australia, as part of efforts to cut its debt totaling 6.7 trillion won...

Hahn & Co finances $700 mn Korean Air deal with about $400 mn debt

Hahn & Co., a South Korean private equity firm, has completed the payment for the 790 billion won ($722 million) purchase of Korean Air Lines' i...

Korea Post seeks two direct lending funds for $200 mn mandates

Korea Post’s savings arm plans to select two global direct lending funds focusing on North America and Europe and commit $100 million to each ...

IMM Private Equity to set up operation-focused unit

This is the first in our bi-weekly Deal briefs series, covering the latest M&A deals and key events in South Korea’s capital markets. We w...

S.Korea's household debt ratio exceeds 100% for first time

South Korea’s household debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio has exceeded 100% for the first time, with its debt growing relatively faster...

Korean LPs favor direct lending for private debt investment

More than half of South Korea’s key asset owners, led by the National Pension Service, are inclined to expand overseas private debt investment i...

S. Korea's fiscal deficit tops $90 bn; public debt hits record high

South Korea's fiscal deficit in September has pushed the annual shortfall to over 100 trillion won ($89.6 billion) with public debt reaching an all-ti...

[ASK2020] Private Debt: Playing Offense or Defense?

StepStone is a leading private markets firm that oversees over US$296 billion of private capital allocations, including approximately US$67 bill...

[ASK2020] The US middle market private credit opportunity

Nuveen, the investment management arm of TIAA, is one of the world’s largest investment managers with over US$1 trillion in AUM as of 30 Ju...

[ASK2020] Is now the right time to invest in UK real estate debt?

Nuveen, the investment management arm of TIAA, is one of the world’s largest investment managers with over US$1 trillion in AUM as of 30 J...

[ASK2020] Direct Lending (or Private Credit) in Asia

Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) is a leading global alternative investment manager operating integrated businesses across Credit, Privat...

[ASK2020] The outlook for US Infrastructure Debt

IFM Investors was established more than 25 years ago with the aim to protect and grow the retirement savings of pension fund members. IFM manage...

[ASK2020] The Opportunity in European Private Debt

Park Square Capital is one of the world’s most established private debt firms, providing flexible financing solutions to high-quality and ...

[ASK2020] Introduction to Australia’s Private Debt Market

IFM Investors was established more than 25 years ago with the aim to protect and grow the retirement savings of pension fund members. IFM manage...