A Second Act for Private Equity in South Korea

Abstract

International private equity firms took center stage in South Korea in the late 1990s, riding to the rescue of troubled companies laid low in the Asian economic meltdown. But in the aftermath of recent high-profile criminal investigations surrounding the Lone Star acquisition of Korea Exchange Bank, private equity investors have had to write a new script. With Korea's economy strong, western private equity firms are acquiring underperforming business units from Korea's leading chaebols and helping them become more competitive, providing capital and management skills to help Korean entrepreneurs fuel their growth, and joining forces with strategic partners who can complement their deal-making mastery with local business know-how.