▶주메뉴 바로가기

▶본문 바로가기

The Korea Herald
검색폼

THE INVESTOR
March 29, 2024

The Boardroom

Kumho Asiana chief gives up former tire unit

  • PUBLISHED :November 28, 2017 - 17:52
  • UPDATED :November 28, 2017 - 17:52
  • 폰트작게
  • 폰트크게
  • facebook
  • sms
  • print

[THE INVESTOR] The chief of Kumho Asiana Group, an airline-to-construction conglomerate, said on Nov. 28 he won’t buy back the conglomerate’s former tire unit Kumho Tire now controlled by creditor banks.

In a press conference held at its headquarters in Seoul, Kumho Asiana Chairman Park Sam-koo made it clear that the group does not have “any intention” to buy back the tire company, a corporate spokesman said by phone.


Park Sam-koo



“Frankly speaking, I had keen interest in Kumho Tire but now have fully given up my right of first refusal (in an auction to sell the tire maker) for the company‘s future,” he said.

Under the right of first refusal, the chairman has the priority to buy back the company when it is up for sale.

The chairman hoped Kumho Tire will reemerge as a financially healthy and competitive company after being acquired by a company which is “better than” the group. 

Currently, nine creditors led by the state-run Korea Development Bank have entered into a debt restructuring process for the financially troubled tire maker. They have extended debt worth 1.3 trillion won (US$1.10 billion) maturing this month to the end of this year.    

In March, Qingdao Doublestar, a Chinese tire maker, signed a 955 billion won contract with the KDB-led creditors to buy a 42.01 percent stake in the Korean tire maker.

The deal, however, was scrapped when creditors rejected Doublestar’s demand to cut the purchase price by 16 percent to 800 billion won, citing deteriorating earnings.

By Alex Lee and newswires (alexlee@heraldcorp.com)

EDITOR'S PICKS