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SM Group rejects Korea Line's plan to buy Hanjin's Asia - US business

SM Group rejects Korea Line's plan to buy Hanjin's Asia - US business
The board of SM Group, parent of Korea Line Corp, has rejected its move to buy the Asia – US business of bankrupt container line Hanjin Shipping.

Dry bulk shipowner Korea Line won a bid to acquire Hanjin’s Asia – US business for $31.4m and was planning to launch two transpacific services in April.

However, SM Group’s board turned down the plan to acquire assets at a stakeholder meeting on the grounds that Korea Line lacked experience in container shipping and an industry wide slump in the sector could impact cashflow, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency.

SM Group could still acquire the Asia – US business but as a separate entity to Korea Line.

"There is a clause stipulating that a separate corporate body can still acquire the asset when the proposal is turned down at a stakeholders meeting," a group official was quoted as saying, adding that the company will proceed with related procedures to buy the route.