동부그룹이 자구책으로 내놓은 핵심자산 매각방안이 5개월째 이행되지 않자 채권단이 더는 기다려줄 수 없다는 입장을 나타냈다.
채권단은 유동성 위기의 동부그룹이 계속 버틸 경우 STX그룹과 동양그룹처럼 막대한 타격을 입을 가능성을 제기하고 있다. 금융감독원 역시 신속한 기업 구조조정을 주문한 상태다.
4일 금융권에 따르면 채권단의 한 관계자는 동부그룹의 자구계획 이행 지연에 강한 불만을 드러냈다. 이 관계자는 “동부그룹이 구조조정을 질질 끌고 있다. 김준기 회장이 오너십에 너무 집착하고 있다”고 말했다.
그는 또 “이러다가 (핵심계열사를) 못 팔게 될 수도 있다”고 말했다.
금융당국도 동부그룹이 구조조정에 속도를 내지 못하자 불쾌한 심정을 감추지 못하고 있다.이와 관련해 금감원과 주채권은행인 산업은행 등은 지난 3일 회의를 통해 동부그룹 처리 문제를 논의한 것으로 알려졌다.
동부그룹은 지난해 11월 3조원 규모의 재무구조개선 방안을 밝힌 바 있다. 계열사인 동부하이텍, 동부메탈, 동부제철 인천공장과 당진항만, 동부발전당진 지분, 동부익스프레스 지분, 동부팜한농 유휴부지 등을 매각한다는 계획이다.
(
khnews@heraldcorp.com)
<관련 영문기사>
Dongbu Group faces liquidity crisis
The liquidity of Dongbu Group, a South Korean conglomerate providing steel, insurance and electronics goods, is worsening. Creditors have enhanced their pressure on the debt-saddled conglomerate, demanding swift sales of some business units amid a liquidity crisis as an “ultimatum.”
Despite a series of warnings in the market, Dongbu chairman Kim Jun-ki has continued to argue since last year that its financial status was not so serious compared to the embattled STX and Tong Yang groups, most of whose units are in the debt rescheduling process.
Dongbu, as a compromise with creditors, also promised in November 2013 to push for sale of some units in its unveiling of a roadmap to improve its cash flow problems. But the group has yet to carry out detailed procedures for bidding.
An official at the main creditor Korea Development Bank was quoted by an online news provider as saying that “chairman Kim is excessively obsessed with his management rights.”
The official also reportedly said that “a belated action from the group management could be linked to a worse liquidity crisis and failure in finding acquirers for core units.”
In addition, financial regulators have embarked on their step to prevent STX or Tong Yang-like woes. The Financial Supervisory Service has recently urged some executives of Dongbu to implement the normalization plan as soon as possible.
An FSS official said the FSS also held a meeting on April 3 to discuss the Dongbu issue with the state-controlled Korea Development Bank and the Financial Services Commission.
Meanwhile, Nice Rating downgraded the credit scores of three Dongbu units including Dongbu Metal on Thursday.
Last November, the conglomerate vowed to sell off Dongbu HiTek, a highly profitable specialist in the semiconductor market, along with Dongbu Metal and the Incheon Steel Mill of Dongbu Steel.
Some market insiders say that the conglomerate’s self-rescue plan is considered to be the only plan to save its symbolic steel business.
Dongbu Steel, which has seen a continuous operating deficit, earlier said that the cold-rolled steel sector would play a key role in supporting the company in the coming years.
By Kim Yon-se (
kys@heraldcorp.com)
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