South Korea’s Pension Fund Faces Backlash Over Chinese AI IPO Bets
The National Pension Service (NPS), which manages the precious retirement funds of the people, has been engulfed in a fierce controversy over transparency and ethical management standards as it was revealed that it has continuously invested in the initial public offerings (IPOs) of Chinese military
The National Pension Service (NPS) of South Korea has faced intense criticism over its investments in Chinese military and security-linked companies through initial public offerings (IPOs). This controversy has sparked debates about transparency, ethical management, and the role of pension funds in supporting state interests.
The core issue emerged when it was revealed that the NPS had invested in shares of Chinese state-owned defense contractors and military technology companies listed on Chinese stock markets, including the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong exchanges. These companies are designated as Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies (CMIC) or are under security threat blacklists by the United States.
One notable example is the IPO of Zhongji Innolight, a Chinese optical transceiver equipment manufacturer for AI data centers, which was designated as a CMIC by the U.S. Department of Defense 42 days before the NPS signed a $250 million investment agreement. Despite this official sanction, the NPS proceeded with the investment, becoming the first pension fund to provide listing capital to a company that had been officially blacklisted.
Furthermore, the NPS holds shares in numerous Chinese tech and manufacturing corporations, such as Baidu, Alibaba, BYD, WuXi AppTec, and various semiconductor firms, which are either newly added or already listed on the U.S. Department of Defense's Section 1260H Blacklist. This list includes entities directly linked to the Chinese military or involved in potential military applications of their technologies.
The NPS and its Investment Management argue that their investment decisions are driven by global benchmarks and the limitations of current regulations. They claim that tracking global indices, like the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Emerging Markets Index, necessitates purchasing shares of companies listed in those indices, including Chinese firms.
Additionally, they point to the lack of specific investment guidelines for overseas consigned management companies as a contributing factor to their investment choices.
Written by urgent.news from BusinessKorea's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
