Korean battery maker secures $2B loan from 3 ECAS

(Reuters, Seoul 19 August 2022) South Korea's SK On battery maker has raised about 2 trillion won ($1.51 billion) from private equity firms, pushing the electric vehicle (EV) battery maker's valuation to around 20 trillion won as it works to expand production abroad, local media reported on Thursday. The battery unit of energy group SK Innovation Co Ltd (096770.KS) has been in talks with a local private equity consortium the Korea Economic Daily Newspaper said, citing unidentified investment banking sources. Last month, SK On secured a $2 billion loan from three export credit agencies to finance its factory in Hungary. In other news, Hyundai Mobis announced on Aug. 22 that Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) and LG Energy Solution have secured US$710 million to finance the construction of a battery cell joint venture plant in Indonesia. Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Corp., Hyundai Mobis and LG Energy Solution provided debt guarantees according to their stake, and the Korea Trade Insurance Corp., a state-run export credit institution, provided credit guarantees.