South Korean chaebol overhaul runs into economic reality

[HONG KONG] South Korea's chaebol overhaul is running into economic reality. The country's competition chief just unveiled new rules to rein in multi-layered conglomerates, in what will be the first rewrite of antitrust rules in nearly four decades. Slowing growth, however, has made the likes of Samsung even more important to the country's jobs plight. That means corporate governance reform probably will wind up weaker than originally anticipated.

The proposals come just over a year after President Moon Jae-in took office on promises to tame the country's powerful, family-run corporate empires known as chaebol. The head of Korea's Fair Trade Commission, Kim Sang-jo, is leading the charge. Nicknamed the "chaebol sniper", Mr Kim has publicly called out Samsung and Hyundai, the two largest, for their ownership structures and other control deficiencies. The third-generation scions of both companies exert clout by way of holdings in affiliates, a setup which tends to sideline minority shareh. The head of Korea's Fair Trade Commission, Kim Sang-jo, is leading the charge. Nicknamed the "chaebol sniper", Mr Kim has publicly called out Samsung and Hyundai, the two largest, for their ownership structures and other control deficiencies. The third-generation scions of both companies exert clout by way of holdings in affiliates, a setup which tends to sideline minority shareholders.

Loosening the grip founding families have on their sprawling businesses is the aim. The new amendments include curbs on circular shareholdings, intra-conglomerate transactions and voting rights while also demanding greater disclosure.

Mr Moon will struggle to gain political support to enact some of the new ideas, though. For one thing, his party lacks the required three-fifths majority in the National Assembly. His approval rating also has fallen to 56 per cent, near its lowest level since taking office. North Korea's lack of progress giving up its nuclear weapons is one likely factor. A weakening economy is another: average job growth in the year to July plummeted to 122,000, down from 353,000 a year earlier. That is bruising for the self-proclaimed "jobs president".

That means Mr Moon probably will have to soften his stance against the chaebol in return for help in boosting employment. Earlier this month, Samsung pledged to invest 130 trillion won (S$116 billion) in South Korea along with some hiring plans.

Shares of Samsung C&T, the de facto holding company, for example, are trading roughly 50 per cent below their net asset value, according to CLSA analyst Steve Chung. The historical average discount is 15 per cent. That suggests investors are recalibrating their expectations about just how tough Seoul will be on chaebol.

CONTEXT NEWS

South Korea's Fair Trade Commission said on Aug 26 that it is proposing the first major changes to the country's antitrust regulation in 38 years.

Among the proposed changes is a requirement that newly created holding companies must own at least 30 per cent in a listed subsidiary and at least 50 per cent in an unlisted unit, up from the current 20 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively. Other changes include caps on voting rights in stakes held by nonprofit charity foundations and enhanced disclosures on overseas affiliates, according to media reports.

The FTC is inviting public feedback and plans to submit the proposal to the National Assembly later in 2018, the Korea Herald reported.

REUTERS