With a functioning joint venture in China, the next frontier for new business is South Korea, says Desmond Ng, head of Asian institutional business at JF Asset Management. The firm is weighing the pros and cons of setting up a wholly owned investment trust management company ITMC, or entering a joint venture. Ng hopes to have an active onshore presence established in 2006.
We see Korean institutional and retail investors are becoming more receptive to products other than domestic money market and bond funds, Ng says. And the government is pursuing the goal of making Korea an investment funds hub, so it is deregulating and helping improve transparency.
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