-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, FnpH7XxdGsabSh3Lk9eMeDqQnBd6zQEmxY97lUjiiMQ0bwhKdZTPm3PO3FoOpvhD 0LQsNo3xeBL3VgEYw0099w== 0000950123-10-020029.txt : 20100302 0000950123-10-020029.hdr.sgml : 20100302 20100302161136 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950123-10-020029 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20100302 ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20100302 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20100302 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: KOREA FUND INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000748691 IRS NUMBER: 133226146 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MD FISCAL YEAR END: 0630 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 811-04058 FILM NUMBER: 10649384 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: ALLIANZ GLOBAL INVESTORS STREET 2: 1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10105 BUSINESS PHONE: 212-739-3226 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: ALLIANZ GLOBAL INVESTORS STREET 2: 1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10105 8-K 1 y83009e8vk.htm FORM 8-K e8vk
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 8-K
 
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) March 2, 2010
 
The Korea Fund, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
         
Maryland
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
  811-04058
(Commission File Number)
  13-3226146
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
     
Allianz Global Investors Fund Management LLC
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York
Attn.: Fund Secretary
(Address of principal executive offices)
  10105
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (800) 254-5197
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
o     Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o     Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

 


 

Item 8.01. Other Events
The Korea Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) has mailed its Semi-Annual Report for the period ending December 31, 2009. Accompanying the Semi-Annual Report was a letter from the Chairman of the Board of Directors dated January 28, 2010, a copy of which is included herewith as Exhibit 99.1.
Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of the Chairman’s Letter to Stockholders dated January 28, 2010 (the “Chairman’s Letter”). The Chairman’s Letter is being furnished pursuant to Item 8.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, and the information contained in Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities under Section 18. Furthermore, the information contained in Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the filings of the Fund under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Item 9. 01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
     
Exhibit    
Number    
 
   
99.1
  Chairman’s Letter to Stockholders dated January 28, 2010.
Signature
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
         
  The Korea Fund, Inc.
(Registrant)
 
 
Date: March 2, 2010  /s/ Robert Goldstein    
  (Signature)   
  Name: Robert Goldstein
Title: President 
 

 


 

         
EXHIBIT INDEX
     
Exhibit    
Number    
 
   
99.1
  Chairman’s Letter to Stockholders dated January 28, 2010.

 

EX-99.1 2 y83009exv99w1.htm EX-99.1 exv99w1
Exhibit 99.1
The Korea Fund, Inc. Chairman’s Letter to Stockholders
I am pleased to provide you with my letter to shareholders regarding the first half of the fiscal year 2009/2010, being from July 1 to December 31, 2009, otherwise referred herein as the “Period”.
Investment Performance
Following on from the dramatic recovery witnessed in the March to June 2009 period, the KOSPI, the benchmark index for your Fund, gained 32.44% in the Period as measured in US dollar terms. This was driven by the continuing world macro economic recovery, enhanced earnings’ forecasts for Korean companies and greater international buying of the Korean stock market. During the Period your Fund registered a 34.24% increase in its net asset value (“NAV”), net of all expenses. Over the same period, the share price rose 29.6%, closing December 31, 2009 at $35.55 — representing a discount of 9.95% on the NAV.
A Portfolio Manager’s Report covering the Period and containing a discussion of the Fund’s performance during the Period and a section on the Market Outlook are included in the Semi-Annual Report.
A key and constant consideration amongst your board’s deliberations is the monitoring of your Fund’s investment performance and, for this purpose, an independent, third party investment consultant provides input at each regular meeting. Your board noted the disappointing investment performance of the Fund during 2009 and continued to discuss with senior management of the Fund’s Investment Adviser, the Sub-Adviser’s chief investment officer and the Fund’s portfolio manager the factors contributing to such underperformance and the actions being taken to improve performance. The Sub-Adviser informed the board that there were two key reasons for the Fund’s underperformance during 2009. First, the Fund’s substantial capital gains distribution in January 2009 and its reinvestment, during a turbulent time in the markets, had a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. Second, the nature of the first stage market recovery in Korea during 2009 did not favor the Sub-Adviser’s investment style. The Sub-Adviser added that it expected that market conditions going forward would favor their investment style. Your board has observed that the Fund had experienced improved relative performance during the third and fourth quarter of 2009, consistent with the analysis provided by the Sub-Adviser regarding its investment style following a period during which that style was not in favor.
At the time of making the substantial capital gains distribution which was to be paid in January 2009, the NYSE required the ex-dividend date for the capped cash election dividend be on December 29, 2008 rather than the more customary day following the payable date for such large distributions. This exercise subsequently led to differences in calculating the performance numbers for any period that includes the month of December 2008 or January 2009 between our Administrator and the various third party company reporting services. For more information regarding these matters, refer to the company’s press release dated October 12, 2009 together with my words on the subject at the AGM, all of which are available on your company’s web site (www.thekoreafund.com). This has undoubtedly turned into a most complicated matter but hopefully we can now close this particular chapter.

 


 

May I assure all shareholders that both management and your Board are ever focused on performance and would note that RCM AP has been managing the portfolio for a little over two years through some periods of massive adjustments, extraordinary Fund activity and trying market conditions.
Discount Management
Your fund’s Board has continued its active role of monitoring the Fund’s share price against its net asset value (“NAV”) and carefully evaluating potential actions that might narrow the Fund’s discount. In the Period the discount widened before narrowing to a single digit number. The Board reviews the issue officially on a quarterly basis, and a Discount Management Committee reviews the issue more frequently as conditions warrant.
Enhanced Stockholder Information
As a means of providing all stockholders with updated information on your Fund, we have instigated an upgrade of the material posted to the web site on a regular basis. Our Manager now posts a supplementary Portfolio Management Presentation each quarter in addition to the regular Quarterly Economic Update, both of which are available on your Fund’s website at:
http://www.thekoreafund.com/koreaFund/profile/KF/literature.jsp
Your Board trusts that this represents a further means by which to keep all stockholders better updated on the affairs of their company. That said, given the competitor sensitivity of some of the information it is intended to post these updates with a possible 30 day delay.
I thank all our shareholders for your support through this Period.
Yours very sincerely
/s/ Julian Reid
 
Julian Reid
Chairman, The Korea Fund, Inc.
New York, January 28, 2010

 

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