First regional office since founding
To serve as hub for infrastructure, energy investment cooperation
KDB Infrastructure Asset Management, a subsidiary of Korea Development Bank, has opened its first regional office since its founding, positioning itself to better serve the National Pension Service's alternative investment needs.
The company opened the Jeonju office in North Jeolla Province on Monday. It plans to use the office as a base for communication and investment cooperation with the National Pension Service, focusing on identifying alternative investment opportunities in the infrastructure and energy sectors.
Established in 2003 as a Korea Development Bank subsidiary, KDB Infrastructure Asset Management specializes in alternative investments including social overhead capital, energy and overseas infrastructure. The firm handles the full investment cycle — from identifying targets and designing investment structures to managing portfolios and overseeing risk.
The Jeonju office will assess the National Pension Service's investment direction and demand on the ground and review alternative investment products spanning domestic and overseas infrastructure and energy assets. The company plans to present investment strategies tailored to long-term investment and portfolio diversification needs, taking into account the risk-return profile of individual assets.
Financial firms including asset managers have been steadily opening offices in Jeonju, where the National Pension Service is headquartered. According to KDB Infrastructure Asset Management, 40 financial institutions now maintain offices in the city. The company plans to deepen cooperation with Korea Development Bank and other financial institutions and business partners, and to work with fellow financial firms in Jeonju to uncover new investment opportunities.
Korea Development Bank Chairman Park Sang-jin said the opening of the Jeonju office marks "a meaningful start toward building a standing cooperation framework with the National Pension Service and laying the groundwork for a financial ecosystem in North Jeolla Province." He added that Korea Development Bank would also expand engagement with local communities and play its part in nurturing future industries.
KDB Infrastructure Asset Management CEO Lee Jun-seong said the firm would "actively leverage our alternative investment expertise to present differentiated management strategies that meet the National Pension Service's investment needs," adding that it would use the Jeonju office as a base to pursue diverse investment cooperation opportunities and treat the opening as a springboard for a new phase of growth.
Meanwhile, Korea Development Bank on Oct. 26 launched a 500 billion won ($374 million) short-term credit facility called "NEXT KOREA KOFR," applying the Korea Overnight Financing Repo rate as its benchmark interest rate. The product offers preferential rates of up to 0.65 percentage points for small and midsize enterprises, with an additional 0.05 percentage point discount for companies based in or relocating to regional areas.
rim@heraldcorp.com
