KEPCO likely to feel heavy burden of maturing bonds

[THE INVESTOR] Korea Electric Power Corp. has more than 10 trillion won (US$9.1 billion) in bonds set to mature by the end of 2018, industry data showed on Aug. 16.

According to the data, KEPCO needs to repay bonds with a combined value of 10.2 trillion won by the end of 2018. That represents about 40 percent of all the corporation’s outstanding bonds, which comes to 26 trillion won. The value of bonds the company needs to repay by the end of 2020 stands at 16 trillion won. 

Although 3 trillion won to 5 trillion won in bonds are to mature each year until 2020, the company’s liquid assets stood at about 1 trillion won at the end of June.

In addition to the bonds maturing, the company is expected to pay more than 1 trillion won in financial expenses, including interest, this year.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)