KDB Seeks to Fulfill Public Policy Role.

(From Korea Times)

Over the past half century, the Korea Development Bank (KDB) has played a major role in driving the economy and financial sector by facilitating the growth of leading industries.

As the largest corporate finance bank, the KDB seeks to fulfill its public policy role and expand its expertise into areas such as infrastructure, regional development, research-and-development investment and industrial financing for North Korea. It will also continue to assume a leading position in providing advanced financial services to companies with diverse financial needs.

In 2001, the state-run bank supplied 17.9 trillion won to develop promising industries and to expand the nation's growth potential. New loans to companies increased 4.3 percent in volume to 5,130.1 billion won from 4,920.8 billion won in 2000. Other activities included underwriting long-term corporate bonds for equipment capital.

The bank was also engaged last year in performing its investment banking business, including project financing, bond underwriting, equity investment and mergers and acquisitions.

Over the past seven years, it has provided advisory services for 60 projects and successfully completed the financing of 17 projects worth 5.4 trillion won. Through its constant efforts to diversify funding sources and meet client needs, the bank saw its market share in domestic project financing grow to over 84 percent.

The bank's activities in the domestic corporate bond market in 2001 attracted considerable notice for quantity and quality. For example, the KDB arranged corporate bond issuance worth 14.7 trillion won and raised its market share from 11.4 percent in 2000 to 18.4 percent in 2001.