Korea: Issuer talking long-distance

The Korean government is eager to sell off a large chunk of Korea Telecom, not least because it needs the money to help balance its budget. But with an issue of up to $2 billion likely, there's no way the local market can cope, especially when it's beset by scandal. So is it time for the finance ministry to call up some international investment bankers to discuss a foreign listing? Tony Shale reports.

Asia’s biggest international equity deal of the year will come from its most closed and parochial market. State-owned telecommunications company Korea Telecom, which has annual revenue of w5.71 trillion ($7.2 billion) and assets of W11.6 trillion, wants to raise up to $2 billion. With the Korean stock market suffering from political instability and restrictive practices, the government may have no choice but to make its first-ever foray into international capital markets when undertaking a privatization.

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