Hanjin, LS join forces amid conflicts with Hoban
The proverb "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" may describe the unexpected alliance between two opponents of Hoban Group — Hanjin Group, better known as the parent company of Korean Air, and LS Group, which specializes in cables, power equipment, metal and machinery. Amid their ongoing disputes with the construction-to-media conglomerate, Hanjin and LS announced Monday that they signed a memorandum of understanding for the mutual growth and interests of their respective shareholders. Hoban Construction, the group's flagship construction unit, has emerged as an antagonist of Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae following its acquisition of shares in Hanjin KAL — the group's holding firm — from KCGI and Pan Ocean. KCGI is an asset management company that backed Cho's younger sister, former Korean Air Vice President Cho Hyun-ah, also known by her English name Heather, when she attempted in 2020 to wrest control of the group from her brother. As the second-largest shareholder of Hanjin KAL with a 17.9 percent stake, the construction firm rejected a proposal at last month's shareholders
Apr 28, 2025By Park Jae-hyuk