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Type of Funds Available

General Information

Korean onshore funds are Korean securities investment trusts, which are a unit trust style fund set up under Korean regulations. There are three parties: the manager, the trustee, and the investors (beneficiaries). The manager plays a broad role and is responsible for investment selection as well as administrative matters such as calculation of net asset value and issue and redemption of units, although some activities may be assigned to third parties such as sales through distributors. The trustee, which is one of Korea's major commercial banks or the Seoul branch of a foreign bank, is chiefly responsible for the custody of the assets of the trust.

Korean securities investment trusts are regarded as domestic investors; therefore they are not subject to the foreign investment limits that apply to some Korean companies such as Korea Telecom., SK Telecom, KEPCO, Korea Gas, Hanaro Telecom, LG Home Shopping, and CJ39 Shopping.

Domestic Funds for Foreign Investors

Overseas investors (non-residents of Korea) may invest in almost all of the range of domestic funds that we offer to Korean resident investors. Some examples of representative funds managed by our affiliates Korea Investment Trust Management Co., Ltd. and Korea Value Asset Management Co., Ltd. are provided below as examples. Please note that the information provided below is for information purposes only. It is not an offer or a solicitation to buy any fund or securities, and past performance should not be viewed as an indication of future performance.



Korea Navigator Equity Fund (Fund No. 04813)

The Korea Navigator Equity Fund aims to achieve long-term growth and outperform the Korea Composite Stock Price Index through investment in growth stocks with a bottom-up approach to stock picking. Established in March 2005, the fund does not undertake asset allocation in consideration of short-term factors such as market trends, supply & demand, etc.

Performance (%, as of 31 May 2010):

  3 months 6 months 1 year 2 year 3 year Year to date Since inception
Fund 1.6 3.0 23.1 4.7 23.6 -4.4 62.5
BM 2.9 5.5 17.6 -11.4 -3.5 -3.2 22.5
Excess return -1.4 -2.6 5.5 16.1 27.1 -1.2 39.9
              Note :BM (benchmark) = KOSPI index


Korea Meister Equity Fund (Fund No. 06149)

The Korea Meister Equity Fund aims to achieve long-term capital gains by investing in stocks using a research-based system approach to provide consistent returns in excess of the benchmark. Established in June 1999, the fund focuses on a balance of value and growth stocks along with both large cap and small cap stocks using a buy and hold strategy based on a long-term vision.

Performance (%, as of 31 May 2010):

  3 months 6 months 1 year 2 year 3 year Year to date Since inception
Fund 5.1 13.5 30.2 8.6 28.8 1.8 202.1
BM 2.9 5.5 17.6 -11.4 -3.5 -3.2 87.4
Excess return 2.2 8.0 12.6 20.0 30.3 5.0 114.8
              Note :BM (benchmark) = KOSPI index


Korea Contrarian Equity Fund (Fund No. 04326)

The Korea Contrarian Equity Fund aims to achieve long-term capital gains focusing on a bottom-up approach to stock picking to find undervalued stocks based on fundamental analysis. Established in December 2003, the fund does not consider short-term factors in its asset allocation such as market trends, supply and demand, etc. and fund management decisions are taken by an investment committee consisting of in-house analysts and fund managers.

Performance (%, as of 31 May 2010):

  3 months 6 months 1 year 2 year 3 year Year to date Since inception
Fund 5.6 9.8 29.6 1.0 -6.6 0.6 145.9
BM 2.9 5.5 17.6 -11.4 -3.5 -3.2 105.1
Excess return 2.6 4.3 12.0 12.4 -3.1 3.9 40.8
              Note :BM (benchmark) = KOSPI index


Korea Value 10-year Equity Fund (Fund No.56287)

The Korea Value 10-Year Equity Fund aims to maximize long-term returns and pursue stable returns with no capital loss through investment in undervalued stocks that are trading below their intrinsic value. Established on 18 April 2006, the fund focuses on fundamental value rather than market trends while seeking companies with low PER, low PBR, high dividend yield, and new value strategies.

Performance (%, as of 31 May 2010):

  3 months 6 months 1 year 2 year 3 year Year to date Since inception
Fund 4.3 13.2 14.7 -4.3 3.8 3.4 54.8
BM 2.7 4.4 18.3 -7.3 1.7 -2.9 18.3
Excess return 1.6 8.8 -3.6 3.0 2.2 6.3 36.6
              Note :BM (benchmark) = (KOSPI 200*90) + (CD rate*10)


Korea Samsung Group Equity Fund (Fund No. 43761)

The Korea Samsung Group Fund seeks long-term stable growth through investment exclusively in the Samsung Group, whose companies are global blue chips and leading companies in their industries in the Korean market Established in November 2004, the fund operates a buy and hold strategy to benefit from the long-term growth of the Samsung Group.

Performance (%, as of 31 May 2010):

  3 months 6 months 1 year 2 year 3 year Year to date Since inception
Fund 7.2 12.0 23.7 12.9 36.9 1.3 223.8
BM 2.9 5.5 17.6 -11.4 -3.5 -3.2 96.6
Excess return 4.3 6.5 6.2 24.3 40.4 4.6 127.2
              Note :BM (benchmark) = KOSPI index


Korea Index Derivatives Fund (Fund No. 04181)

The Korea Index Derivatives Fund is an enhanced index fund that aims to match the KOSPI 200 plus obtain additional gains through the use of derivatives. Established in January 2002, the fund pursues extra capital appreciation through arbitrage trading.

Performance (%, as of 31 May 2010):

  3 months 6 months 1 year 2 year 3 year Year to date Since inception
Fund 2.8 6.1 22.6 -4.8 6.8 -4.1 193.5
BM 2.9 4.7 19.9 -9.7 -1.0 -4.1 120.0
Excess return -0.1 1.4 2.7 4.9 7.7 0.0 73.5
              Note :BM (benchmark) = KOSPI 200 index


Korea Umbrella Index Fund (Fund No. 04254)

The Korea Umbrella Index Fund aims to match the performance of the KOSPI 200. Established in July 2003, the fund allows investors to switch to a reverse index fund or a money market fund without any redemption or switching charges.

Performance (%, as of 31 May 2010):

  3 months 6 months 1 year 2 year 3 year Year to date Since inception
Fund 2.5 5.4 20.7 -9.9 -0.6 -4.4 156.5
BM 2.9 4.7 19.9 -9.7 -1.0 -4.1 132.2
Excess return -0.4 0.8 0.7 -0.2 0.4 -0.4 24.3
              Note :BM (benchmark) = KOSPI 200 index


Other Korean Funds

In addition to the above examples of equity funds, we also distribute a wide range of Korean bonds funds (such as corporate bond funds, medium-term government bond funds, long-term government bond funds), money market funds, and hybrid funds (funds that contain a mixture of equities and bonds in order to limit volatility in performance).



Overseas Funds

KITMC has developed a range of funds that invest in overseas markets. These are mainly fund of funds that invest in a range of overseas equity funds or fund of funds that invest in a range of overseas hedge funds. The use of a fund of funds structure enables domestic retail clients to gain exposure to overseas funds that are not registered for sale in Korea.

In addition, KIMTC is also developing into a specialist for funds investing in Vietnam and launched several funds in 2006 for investment in listed and unlisted stocks in that country.



Onshore Funds exclusively for Foreign Investors

In the past, we offered a range of funds that were established for sale exclusively to overseas investors (non-residents of Korea). Although we maintain several of these funds, as a result of changes in Korean law and regulations we are no longer establishing new funds or promoting sales of units in existing funds, and foreign investors may gain exposure to Korea through investment in the range of funds offered to both resident and non-residents of Korea, such as those mentioned above.

Contact Point

If you need any further details about these or any other funds, please contact :

Mr. Robert Smith
Email : rsmith@truefriend.com
Tel : 82-2-3276-5694

Mr. Ahn, Joo-young
Email : jyahn@truefriend.com
Tel : 82-2-3276-5692