Lotte Group mulls acquisition of Oriental Brewery

SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's fifth-largest business conglomerate
Lotte Group said Thursday it is considering taking over Oriental Brewery Co., the
nation's second-largest brewer.
"We has decided to actively review the acquisition of Oriental Brewery, if the
company asks us to buy its shares," said an official at the group on condition of
anonymity.
Lotte Group raised over 1 trillion won (US$671 million) via the sale of corporate
bonds between September and October in a bid to acquire the blue-chip company
that was put up for sale due to a global economic downturn, industry sources
said.
The sale price of Oriental Brewery is estimated at about $200 million, the
sources said.
Oriental Brewery is a wholly-owned unit of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's
leading brewer.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)