Published November 4, 2009

Temasek to buy stakes in two Korea LED firms

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(SEOUL) Singapore investment company Temasek Holdings will pump 284.7 billion won (S$336.7 million) to buy shares in South Korean light emitting diode (LED) company Seoul Semiconductor and its affiliate.

A brokerage that advised on the sale said yesterday that Temasek would acquire a 12 per cent stake in Seoul Semiconductor and a 9 per cent stake in affiliate Seoul Optodevice and keep the holdings for at least one year.

Temasek also confirmed the investment, saying that investing in the South Korean companies fits well with Temasek's investment theme of supporting emerging champions.

'SSC is well-positioned to benefit from the industry's long-term growth potential as LEDs continue to gain traction as an energy-efficient and eco-friendly lighting alternative,' Peng-Huat Ang, a managing director of Temasek, said in a statement, in reference to Seoul Semiconductor.

South Korean brokerage Daishin Securities said in a statement that Seoul Semiconductor and Seoul Optodevice would use the fresh money from Singapore's wealth fund for research and development as well as expanding production capacity.

LED consumes less power and lasts longer than traditional light sources and is increasingly used in electronic products from mobile phones to flat-screen televisions.

Shares in Seoul Semiconductor have more than quadrupled so far this year, fuelled by strong prospects for the fast-growing LED market.

Temasek holds a 9.6 per cent stake in South Korea's No. 4 banking group Hana Financial Group. -- Reuters