This article was published on the MoneyMove (MM) site of ChosunBiz at 3:32 p.m. on May 4, 2026.
이 기사는 2026년 5월 4일 15시 32분 조선비즈 머니무브(MM) 사이트에 표출됐습니다.
Assistant manager Kim Jun-young of Pan Ocean, the second-generation heir of Harim Group, has stepped onto a testing ground to prove management ability by becoming involved one after another in the group's major mergers and acquisitions (M&A) issues. Having worked at private equity fund (PEF) manager JKL Partners through last year to build hands-on experience, Kim is now said to be actively involved in Harim Group's acquisition of Homeplus Express and Pan Ocean's acquisition of shipping asset(s).
According to the investment banking (IB) industry on the 4th, Kim is currently involved in key decision-making and working-level coordination in the acquisition of Homeplus Express by NS Home Shopping, an affiliate of Harim Group.
NS Home Shopping was selected as the preferred bidder for the acquisition of Homeplus Express on the 21st of last month and is awaiting the signing of the main contract. On the 29th of the same month, it finished negotiations on terms for the business transfer, and on the 30th, the Seoul Bankruptcy Court granted another extension to the deadline for approval of the rehabilitation plan, making it possible to sign the contract.
According to the industry, Homeplus Express has been closely tied to the main Homeplus Co. business, making separation difficult. Even so, insiders say Kim, as the owner, played a major role in wrapping up negotiations just eight days after being named the preferred bidder.
This M&A is meaningful in that it represents Harim Group's attempt to expand its offline distribution network. Harim has food manufacturing and distribution and a home shopping channel, but its nationwide offline retail network is weak. If it acquires Homeplus Express, observers say it can strengthen links with the group's food businesses, including fresh food, home meal replacement (HMR), and livestock and processed foods. NS Home Shopping stepping up as the acquirer is also seen as a strategy to enhance competitiveness in food distribution by combining home shopping, online, and offline channels.
Kim has also been taking a leading role in Pan Ocean's ongoing acquisition of shipping asset(s). Pan Ocean is pursuing a deal to acquire 10 very large crude carriers (VLCCs) of SK Shipping and the related long-term transportation business rights for about 1 trillion won, and the closing (capital injection) is said to be imminent. The transaction is expected to serve as a chance for Pan Ocean to build competitiveness in the tanker business beyond its bulk carrier-centered structure. Because the ships and long-term transport contracts are transferred together, observers say it is closer to acquiring a business unit capable of generating cash flow immediately after the acquisition than merely expanding the fleet.
Kim, the eldest son of Harim Group Chairman Kim Hong-guk, is a key figure within the group, but until now has had no chance to show direct management results. An industry official said, "Harim has grown with food and distribution and shipping as its pillars, and Kim is now gaining real-world experience in both pillars at the same time," adding, "For a second-generation owner who must prove management ability beyond a simple equity inheritance, this is a very important process."
Kim previously worked at JKL Partners from 2021 until early last year, gaining experience in various M&A execution tasks. In particular, he handled the execution when Harim Group teamed up with JKL Partners to pursue an acquisition of HMM.
However, because Harim and JKL Partners' acquisition of HMM fell through, Kim's M&A experience has not yet remained in the group's track record. In the industry, the Homeplus Express and shipping asset acquisitions are seen as likely to be the first cases for Kim to prove a substantive role within the group. In particular, for Homeplus Express, as it is a core asset for sale of Homeplus Co., which is under rehabilitation, there are many variables such as coordinating employment and store operating structures. Whether the acquisition of an offline distribution network will lead to real synergy is expected to be a key point.