{
  "id": 7408959,
  "title": "[COVER STORY] Hoban's insatiable appetite: Group founder targets Korean Air",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/cover-story-hobans-insatiable-appetite-group-founder-targets-korean",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-14T22:22:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20260915/cover-story-hobans-insatiable-appetite-group-founder-targets-korean-air"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kim Sang-yeol, the founder and former chairman of Hoban Group, has transformed his company into a formidable investor in Korea, with his strategic move targeting Korean Air. Currently, Hoban Group holds a 20.15 percent stake in Hanjin KAL, the mother company of Korean Air, positioning it just 0.42 percentage points behind the leading shareholder, Cho Won-tae and his associates who collectively own 20.57 percent. This tight race puts Kim in a prime position to challenge the power dynamics at Korea's leading airline, especially if the Korea Development Bank (KDB) decides to sell its 10.58 percent stake. The bank's decision on how to divest its Hanjin KAL share may ultimately decide the control over the management rights for the integrated airline set to launch on December 17, following Korean Air's acquisition of Asiana Airlines. Hoban Group has greatly diversified its operations beyond its housing construction origins through a series of acquisitions and investments, including a significant investment in Taihan Cab.",
  "summary": "Kim Sang-yeol, founder and former chairman of Hoban Group, has built the company into one of Korea’s most aggressive investors, with his latest bet on Korean Air bringing Hoban’s Hanjin KAL stake nearly level with that of the airline’s controlling shareholder. Hoban Group has so far amassed a 20.15 percent stake in Hanjin KAL, the parent company of Korean Air, putting it just 0.42 percentage…",
  "key_points": [
    "Kim Sang-yeol's Hoban Group owns 20.15% of Hanjin KAL, Korean Air's parent company",
    "Group targets Korean Air with 0.42% share difference to Cho Won-tae's associates",
    "KDB's stake sale may decide control over integrated airline launch"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "[COVER STORY] Hoban's insatiable appetite: Group founder targets Korean Air",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/cover-story-hobans-insatiable-appetite-group-founder-targets-korean-7411011",
        "published": "2026-09-14T22:32:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}