J.P. Morgan has a long and successful history of market leading innovation in Korea. In 1967, we were the first foreign bank to establish an office in the country and when we opened our Seoul branch in 1991, we became the first foreign brokerage house to be approved by the Korean government in 1995.

Today, J.P. Morgan employs around 250 people in Korea and brings its global expertise and reach to a growing number of local clients.
In the Equity Capital Markets, J.P. Morgan is the first bank to achieve a dual listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and the Korea Exchange (KRX) with the initial public offering of Kumho Tire in February, 2005. We have also executed the largest ever block transaction in Korea worth some US$1.2bn for Kookmin Bank. In 2007, J.P. Morgan acted as sole bookrunner of KCC’s exchangeable bond issuance, the largest Asia ex-Japan EB issuance in 2007  as well as the second largest EB ever issued out of Korea. Most recently, J.P. Morgan was global coordinator and sole bookrunner for Taewoong Co.,Ltd’s US$75m GDR accelerated placement on the London Stock Exchange. J.P. Morgan has been a consistent innovator and leader in helping Korean issuers to go to the market.

In the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) market we are ranked number one in completed deals in Korea from 2003 to 2007, having advised on many of Korea's landmark M&A transactions. We have advised on more than US$30bn transactions in the past years. Notable transactions include the largest bank privatisation deal ever in Korea and emerging Asia in 2003 - US$2.8bn Shinhan Financial Group's acquisition of Chohung Bank - and the largest chemical industry transaction in Asia ex-Japan - US$1.5bn Honam and LG Chem Consortium's acquisition of Hyundai Petrochemical. In 2005 we advised Kumho group for its US$6.9bn bid for the Daewoo Engineering assets, one of the largest M&A deals in the country. We were the privatization advisor of choice in Korea as demonstrated by Woori Financial Group, KEPCO, Chohung Bank and KT transaction.In 2006 J.P. Morgan advised Korea Development Bank on the KRW7232bn sale of the creditors’ stake in LG Card to Shinhan Financial Group, the largest M&A transaction in Korean history. Also in 2007 we advised on the sale of Daewoo Center, the largest real estate asset transaction in Korean history

We have also raised more than US$19bn of debt for the Korean government, corporates, and financial institutions since 1998. We were also ranked No.1 in Korea in 2005 for US$ fixed rate, G3 denominated bonds. Even though we are a non Japanese firm, we are the top player in issuing Samurai bonds. Recent highlights include JPY60bn Samurai bond issue by Industrial Bank of Korea, US$500m Reg S bond issue by LG Electronics, US$600m FRN bond issue by Korea Development Bank, US$400m Lower Tier II sub-debt offering by the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NACF), US$500m 144A/Reg S bond issue by Korea Highway Corp, US$300mm 144A/Reg S bond issue by KT Corp and US$500m bond issue by Hanaro telecom.