Peter Thiel to invest W37.5b in Hanmi Semiconductor

[THE INVESTOR] Peter Thiel, the early investor in Facebook and PayPal, has recently decided to invest 37.5 billion won (US$33 million) in Hanmi Semiconductor, a Korean semiconductor equipment manufacturer.

The plan comes after his first investment worth 37 billion won in the company back in 2013. 

According to the Korean firm on July 27, it will sell 2.5 million treasury shares at 15,000 won per share on Sept. 23. Thiel-backed Crescendo Equity Partners and CEP Semicon Holdings will purchase 75 billion won and 300 billion won e convertible bonds, respectively.

Hanmi Semiconductor CEO Kwak Dong-shin hopes for business synergies between the company’s technological competitiveness and the American tech billionaire’s extensive global networks.

The firm was ranked as one of the top 10 semiconductor equipment companies by US research firm VLSO Research in June.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)