traditional assets

Cryptocurrencies World Vision becomes first Korean entity to trade crypto

Non-government organization World Vision Korea has sold its Ethereum holdings, becoming the first Korean legal entity to trade crypto after the Sout...

Infrastructure Korea Post to commit $150 mn to mid-cap infrastructure funds

Korea Post will commit $150 million to one or two global asset managers for mid-cap infrastructure equity investments, the postal service agency sai...

Pension funds NPS to lift stock holdings to 55% by 2030, raising risk appetite

The National Pension Service (NPS) plans to raise its equity allocation to about 55% of its assets by 2030 from 40.4% as of the end of February, Sou...

Real estate Cushman & Wakefield, Avison Young to lead Orange Center sale in Seoul

Cushman & Wakefield and Avison Young have been appointed to oversee the sale of Orange Center, a prime office tower in Seoul’s central bus...

ASK 2025 Rental housing gains appeal amid supply crunch: asset managers

The rental housing markets in the US, Europe and Australia present attractive investment opportunities as persistent supply shortages and rising urb...

ASK 2025 NPS, KIC step up focus on mid-market infrastructure

The National Pension Service (NPS) and Korea Investment Corp. (KIC) are actively exploring mid-market infrastructure opportunities as they are expec...

Mergers & Acquisitions Kakao Pay in talks to acquire SSG.COM’s SSG Pay and Gmarket’s Smile Pay

Kakao Pay Corp., the mobile payment and digital wallet service unit of South Korean tech giant Kakao Corp., is in advanced negotiations to acquire t...

Asset management Mirae Asset Global Investments’ AUM tops $288 bn as global push pays off

Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. now manages more than 400 trillion won ($288 billion) in assets for the first time since its first global venture...

Real estate Seoul’s prime office transactions rise 6% in Q1 despite weak sentiment

Despite mounting economic headwinds and heightened investor caution, the prime office market in Seoul posted a modest recovery in the first quarter,...

Corporate strategy SK Group seeks to sell SK Signet as part of sweeping portfolio realignment

South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate SK Group is seeking to divest SK Signet Inc., four years after acquiring the EV charger manufacturin...

Corporate strategy Hankook & Company to set up CVC with $11 mn in funding

Hankook & Company Co., the holding company of Hankook Tire & Technology Co., announced Thursday a plan to launch a wholly owned corporate ve...

Pension funds NPS yet to schedule external manager selection; PE firms’ fundraising woes deepen

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS), the world’s third-largest pension fund, has yet to decide on a plan to select local extern...

Real estate Mirae Asset to be named Korea Post’s core real estate fund operator

Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. is set to manage the mandate of more than 600 billion won ($416.8 million) in core real estate fund investment by...

Business & Politics US tariffs add risk premium to dollar assets: Maurice Obstfeld

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The US tariff increases are adding risk premiums to dollar-denominated assets, undermining the dollar’s role as a glo...

Asset management Mirae Asset bets on China as Korean investors’ US focus draws concern

South Korea’s leading asset manager Mirae Asset Financial Group is increasingly unveiling China-focused investment products as Chairman P...

Real estate Ritz-Carlton to return to Seoul, tapped by IGIS Asset for landmark project

IGIS Asset Management Co., South Korea’s leading real estate investment firm, has named The Ritz-Carlton the preferred hotel brand for its amb...

Asset management Mirae Asset’s default option retirement funds top $700 mn in assets

Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. now manages over one-third of South Korea’s default-option retirement funds, with the assets it operates un...

Pension funds NPS gears up for investment overhaul with boost in risk assets

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS), the country’s largest institutional investor, is set to overhaul its investment strategy w...

Real estate Colliers to lead $689 million sale of IGIS Asset-owned Signature Tower

Colliers Korea, a unit of global real estate asset management group Colliers, has been chosen as the adviser for the sale of Signature Tower in cent...

Pension funds Global assets drive Korean teachers' fund to 11.1% return in 2024

The Korean Teachers’ Credit Union (KTCU) achieved an 11.1% return on investments in 2024, with overseas portfolios in stocks, infrastructure a...

Real estate Warburg Pincus-Wide Creek Asset JV picks up 2nd Korean logistics asset

US private equity firm Warburg Pincus LLC and South Korean real estate manager Wide Creek Asset Management Co. are building a logistics center for l...

Cryptocurrencies BlackRock sees digital assets at critical turning point

Digital assets are poised for robust structural growth – not just as investment vehicles but as strategic assets – fueled by growing ins...

Banking & Finance Hana Asset Management to merge with Hana Alternative Asset

Hana Financial Group, the parent of Hana Bank and Hana Securities Co, will merge its two asset management arms to bolster its non-banking services, ...

Pension funds S.Korea’s NPS to double pension fund size by 2050, hike risky assets

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) is projected to nearly double its fund size to 3,500 trillion won ($2.38 trillion) by 2050, follo...

Corporate strategy Hankook Tire seeks to evolve beyond tires, auto parts

Hankook & Company Co., the holding company of Hankook Tire & Technology Co., will ramp up battery production for energy storage systems and ...

Real estate IGIS puts office tower, 2 nearby hotels on market in bundled sale

Prime office complex AP Tower and two adjacent hospitality properties in Seoul’s Gangnam Business District have been put up for sale in a bu...

Pension funds KB, Samsung SRA, Capstone named NPS’ core property fund operators

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) has selected three asset managers to oversee its domestic core real estate platform fund — ...

Real estate BNK's planned acquisition of Hyundai Motor Securities building falters

BNK Asset Management Co.'s bid to acquire the Hyundai Motor Securities building in central Seoul has hit a stumbling block as the main tenant, Hyund...

Pension funds NPS to mull responsible investment system for alternative investments

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS), the world’s third-largest pension fund, is poised to consider expanding its responsible in...

Real estate Korea’s IGIS Asset puts top Seoul tourist area hotel on market

IGIS Asset Management Co., one of Asia's largest real estate investment firms, is set to sell a four-star hotel in Myeong-dong, a popular spot for f...