SEOUL: South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s biggest shipbuilding group, announced a share swap deal on Thursday to take over second-ranked Daewoo to create an industry heavyweight controlling over 20 per cent of the global market.
The move comes as the worldwide shipbuilding sector recovers from a global economic downturn that led to massive losses, widespread job cuts and, in 2017, the $2.6 billion bailout of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd.
State-funded Korea Development Bank (KDB) owns 55.7 per cent of Daewoo, and has said it intends to sell the stake and consolidate the country’s three biggest shipbuilders — which includes Samsung Heavy Industries Co Ltd — into two.
The shipbuilding industry accounts for 7 per cent of both exports and employment in Asia’s fourth-biggest economy.
The combination of two of the giant shipbuilders would ease competition and excess capacity, which have depressed ship prices, KDB Chairman Lee Dong-gull said at a news conference.
The deal will “raise the fundamental competitiveness of Daewoo, at a time when the threat from latecomers in China and Singapore is growing,” Lee said.
Daewoo will also receive liquidity support of 2.5 trillion won ($2.25 billion) from Hyundai and KDB, Hyundai said in a stock exchange filing.
KDB also said it would approach Samsung Heavy to gauge any interest in taking over Daewoo.
A Samsung Heavy spokesman said it has received a proposal from KDB and that it needs to review the matter.
Daewoo shares rose as much as 22 per cent on Thursday, before ending up 2.5 per cent. Those of Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Co Ltd and unit Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd fell about 4 per cent on concern about a high purchase price, analysts said.
Meanwhile, Samsung Heavy shares ended up 2.5 per cent, as investor concerns of it bidding for Daewoo eased. — Reuters
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