South Korea

Korea Southern Power Co (Kospo) has priced the first public dollar bond from South Korea amid a US government shutdown. But the 144A deal saw little fallout from that. Easing tensions on the Korean peninsula, the quality of its credit and demand for short-dated paper ensured investor interest.

Korea Southern Power Co (Kospo) is returning to the offshore dollar bond market after almost five years, becoming the first issuer from the country to tap international investors in 2018.

South Korean firm SK Biopharmaceuticals Co has sent a request for proposals to foreign banks and securities firms as it looks for candidates to lead its IPO, according to a source familiar with the matter.

South Korean mobile messaging platform Kakao Corp raised $1bn this week from an issue of Global Depository Receipts (GDRs), defying fears it would suffer from its link to a cryptocurrency exchange.

Kakao Corp, the South Korean mobile messaging platform, launched a Global Depositary Receipts offering of $1bn to the market on Wednesday.

South Korea’s Woori Bank sealed a $300m floating rate Formosa bond on Tuesday.

Hyundai Oilbank, a subsidiary of shipbuilding giant Hyundai Heavy Industries, has appointed six firms to run its potential multi-billion-dollar listing expected later this year.

Kyochon F&B, operator of South Korean fried chicken franchise Kyochon Chicken, is considering a domestic IPO, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Standard Chartered has brought a former banker at Citi out of retirement to run its Greater China and North Asian business.

Former Credit Suisse investment banker Byungil Lim will start at UBS next week, taking charge of the bank's South Korean operations, according to a source familiar with matter.

South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries is planning to list its refining arm Hyundai Oilbank this year, according to an ECM banker involved in the discussions.

South Korea's Kakao Corp is seeking up to $1bn in a Global Depositary Receipts (GDR) offering slated for early next year, in possibly its biggest fundraising ever.