National Pension Service (Korea)
Korea’s UCK Partners surpasses $770m on Fund III
UCK Partners, a South Korean private equity firm formerly known as Unison Capital Korea, has accumulated approximately KRW 1trn (USD 777m) across two incremental closes on its third fund.
China's CIC becomes largest state-owned investor - report
China Investment Corporation (CIC) surpassed Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) and Norway’s Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) to become the world’s largest state-owned investor in 2022, according to Global SWF Tracker.
STIC commits $840m to Korea's Iljin Materials
STIC Investments has led a KRW1 trillion ($840 million) investment in Iljin Materials, a Korean producer of electric foils used in lithium batteries and consumer electronics, to support the international expansion of its manufacturing footprint.
Affirma achieves $473m final close on fifth Korea fund
Affirma Capital has closed its fifth Korea-focused fund with KRW543 billion ($473 million) in commitments, marking its first successful fundraise since spinning out from Standard Chartered.
SoftBank Ventures Asia hits $269m first close on global fund
SoftBank Ventures Asia – previously known as SoftBank Ventures Korea – has reached a first close of KRW317.4 billion ($269 million) on a fund that will make early-stage investments globally with a focus on Asia.
Korean cloud services provider gets $42m
MegazoneCloud, a Korean IT services provider that helps companies incorporate cloud-based systems, has raised $42 million from a group of domestic investors, including the National Pension Service (NPS).
Korea's NPS taps BNK Financial head for CIO role
Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) has appointed Hyo-Joon Ahn as its new CIO after struggling for more than a year to find a permanent occupant for the role.
Korean project funds: Lines of sight
The prevalence of project funds in Korea is routinely linked to local institutional investors’ innate discomfort with blind pool vehicles. But is this dynamic holding back middle market managers?
Korean cross-border fund supports US solar panel buyout
The Corporate Partnership Fund (COPA Fund), a cross-border program backed by Korea's National Pension Service (NPS), has joined Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) in the acquisition of three US solar power projects.
Asia Pacific pension fund assets hit $3.7t
Assets held by the largest pension funds and sovereign wealth funds in Asia Pacific increased 7% year-on-year – outpacing the global growth rate of 6.1% - to $3.7 trillion in 2016 on the back of strong, though volatile, equities markets.
Korea's NPS loses CIO
The CIO of South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) has submitted his resignation, seven months before the end of his two-year tenure.
Korea's NPS boosts alternatives allocation to 11.4%
The National Pension Service of Korea (NPS) continued its steady growth in alternatives exposure, with its allocation increasing from 10.7% to 11.4% over the course of 2016 – which equates to additional capital of KRW9 trillion ($7.9 billion) – as...
Highland closes Asia, US healthcare fund at $147m
Highland Capital Management has raised approximately $147 million for an Asia and North America-focused healthcare fund, having received an anchor LP commitment from South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS).
IMM closes third Korea fund at $1.15b
IMM Private Equity has closed its third Korea-focused fund at approximately KRW1.25 trillion ($1.15 billion), having seen an uptick in foreign investor participation compared to the previous vehicle.
VIG secures $480m first close on third Korea fund
VIG Partners has reached a first close of $480 million on its third Korea-focused fund. The GP, which was formerly known as Vogo Investment, is expected to reach its target of $600 million by the end of the year.
Korean LPs back Lindeman's $273m China fund
Lindeman Asia Investment, a South Korea and China-focused PE firm that concentrates on small and medium-sized enterprises, has launched a KRW300 billion ($273 million) fund with backing from domestic LPs.
Korea's NPS allocates $605m to four local PE firms
South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) has allocated KRW700 billion ($605 million) to funds managed by domestic GPs VIG Partners, Skylake Investment, Lindemann Asia Investment and SG Private Equity.
Korea’s NPS boosts overseas PE exposure
The National Pension Service of Korea (NPS) has pledged to more than double the Asian allocation of its KRW19.5 trillion ($16.4 billion) allotment for global private equity investment.
Korea's NPS appoints new CIO
The National Pension Service of Korea (NPS) has named Myun-Wook Kang, formerly CEO of Meritz Asset Management, as its new chief investment officer.
Korea's NPS loses chairman, CIO
South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) is recruiting a new chairman and CIO after the two incumbents stepped down due to tensions over strategy.
MBK consortium to buy Tesco's Homeplus in $6.4b deal
A consortium led by MBK Partners has agreed to buy Homeplus – Tesco’s South Korea unit – at an enterprise valuation of GBP4.2 billion ($6.4 billion). Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) will contribute $534 million to the deal. Other co-investors...
Korea outbound fund supports $377m China logistics deal
STIC Investments and Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) have agreed to support a KRW455 billion ($377 million) acquisition of a majority stake in China-based Rokin Logistics by CJ Korea Express Corp.
MBK named preferred bidder for Tesco's Korea business - report
A consortium led by MBK Partners is said to have been named the preferred bidder for Tesco’s South Korea-based Homeplus business in a deal that could be worth around $6 billion.
Fundraising: Cracking the Korean LP
Korea’s LP community has been compared to an iceberg: the tip is very visible but getting to the lump of uncommitted capital that lurks beneath surface can be far more difficult. GPs on the fundraising trail must ask themselves whether it is worth the...