[Edaily Reporter An Yu-ri ] Jun-hyuk Bang, Chairman of Netmarble Corporation and COWAY, is acquiring an additional 13.4% stake—part of the shares previously held by Tencent. The total value of the transaction is 374 billion won.

Netmarble Corporation(251270)announced on the 21st that Chairman Jun-hyuk Bang has agreed to acquire 13.4% of the 18.1% stake in Netmarble Corporation held by Tencent affiliate “Han River Investment” for 374 billion won.

The company explained that this transaction was finalized as part of Tencent’s process of divesting a portion of its holdings.

The company stated that the transaction was structured so that Chairman Jun-hyuk Bang, the largest shareholder, would directly acquire the shares in order to proactively mitigate market uncertainty that could arise if a large block of shares were to hit the market.

Once the acquisition is complete, Chairman Bang’s stake in Netmarble Corporation will increase from the current 24.93% to 38.34%.

The company emphasized that Chairman Bang’s foundation for responsible management and corporate governance, as both the founder and largest shareholder, is expected to become even more robust.

The company also stressed that, regardless of the changes in shareholding, the business partnership between Netmarble Corporation and Tencent will continue without interruption.

Building on the partnership they have established over the years, the two companies plan to continue collaborating in various fields, including the global gaming business.

A Netmarble Corporation spokesperson stated, “This share acquisition is significant in that Chairman Jun-hyuk Bang personally raised 374 billion won, clearly demonstrating his commitment to responsible management as the founder and largest shareholder, while proactively mitigating market uncertainty caused by this large-scale change in shareholding.”