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Private equity MBK, Young Poong launch $1.5 bln tender offer for Korea Zinc shares

Private equity fund MBK Partners and South Korean zinc producer Young Poong introduced a 2 trillion won ($ 1.5 billion) tender offer for shares in Korea Zinc, which the target called a hostile. takeover attempt.

The tender offer will look for to purchase in between 1.44 million and. 3.02 million Korea Zinc shares, or between a 6.98% to 14.61%. stake at 660,000 won per share, according to regulative filings. on Friday.

The shares were 556,000 won per share as of Thursday's. close.

Shares in Korea Zinc leapt 19.8% on Friday to trade. slightly above the tender deal rate as of 0327 GMT, while. Young Poong shares rose by the everyday limit of 30%.

Young Poong is already Korea Zinc's largest investor,. with a 25.4% stake as of end-June. If the tender offer is. effective, MBK Partners and Young Poong combined will manage a. 40% stake in the firm.

MBK Partners said in a declaration it plans to become the. largest investor in Korea Zinc, partly by working out a call. choice to purchase some Korea Zinc shares already owned by Young. Poong and associated entities.

The tender offer was intended to maximise shareholder worth. by consolidating management rights, enhancing governance, and. boosting corporate value, MBK and Young Poong stated in a filing.

MBK Partners said Korea Zinc, as a company, should remain. neutral when there is a conflict in between shareholders, and included. that its board was failing to operate typically.

Korea Zinc said in a separate regulatory filing the deal. was a hostile, predatory M&An effort to wrest management. manage away from management that has preserved the firm's No. 1 market share in non-ferrous metal production.

It also kept in mind a series of current safely-related deaths at. Young Poong's Seokpo smelter that led to its CEO's arrest,. saying Young Poong was trying to take over Korea Zinc with a. personal equity firm's aid after stopping working in its own business.

Young Poong declined remark.

Korea Zinc's shares had increased 12% year-to-date as of. Thursday's close compared with a 42% depression in Young Poong's. shares this year.

(source: Reuters)