The Korea Fund, Inc.

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-Q

 

 

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

Investment Company Act file number: 811-04058

 

 

The Korea Fund, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

 

1633 Broadway, New York, NY                         10019
(Address of principal executive offices)                                     (Zip code)

 

 

Lawrence G. Altadonna

1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 212-739-3371

Date of fiscal year end: June 30, 2014

Date of reporting period: September 30, 2013

 

 

 


Item 1. Schedule of Investments

The Korea Fund, Inc. Schedule of Investments

September 30, 2013 (unaudited)

 

Shares

        Value*  

COMMON STOCK—98.2%

  

Air Freight & Logistics—1.4%

  

26,612

       Hyundai Glovis Co., Ltd.    $ 5,212,759   
     

 

 

 

Auto Components—3.0%

  

94,400

       Hankook Tire Co., Ltd.      5,393,995   

383,510

       Nexen Tire Corp. (c)      5,708,640   
     

 

 

 
        11,102,635   
     

 

 

 

Automobiles—10.7%

  

110,729

       Hyundai Motor Co.      25,834,520   

222,271

       Kia Motors Corp.      13,493,275   
     

 

 

 
        39,327,795   
     

 

 

 

Chemicals—5.5%

  

50,569

       LG Chem Ltd.      14,460,605   

36,870

       OCI Co., Ltd. (c)      5,918,860   
     

 

 

 
        20,379,465   
     

 

 

 

Commercial Banks—8.5%

  

246,570

       Hana Financial Group, Inc.      8,450,519   

338,900

       KB Financial Group, Inc.      11,931,619   

272,352

       Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.      11,081,262   
     

 

 

 
        31,463,400   
     

 

 

 

Construction & Engineering—1.0%

  

64,413

       Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.      3,701,725   
     

 

 

 

Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components—1.3%

  

61,715

       Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.      4,953,592   
     

 

 

 

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure—2.2%

  

137,690

       Hotel Shilla Co., Ltd. (c)      8,263,204   
     

 

 

 

Household Durables—4.1%

  

173,241

       Coway Co., Ltd.      9,606,484   

82,095

       LG Electronics, Inc. (c)      5,439,849   
     

 

 

 
        15,046,333   
     

 

 

 

Household Products—1.6%

  

11,673

       LG Household & Health Care Ltd.      5,924,708   
     

 

 

 

Industrial Conglomerates—1.3%

  

78,651

       LG Corp.      4,845,814   
     

 

 

 

Insurance—3.7%

  

21,155

       Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co., Ltd.      4,856,768   

88,969

       Samsung Life Insurance Co., Ltd.      8,652,943   
     

 

 

 
        13,509,711   
     

 

 

 

Internet & Catalog Retail—1.1%

  

26,736

       Hyundai Home Shopping Network Corp.      3,932,740   
     

 

 

 

Internet Software & Services—3.7%

  

25,991

       NHN Corp.      13,463,332   
     

 

 

 

IT Services—3.8%

  

344,401

       KCP Co., Ltd.      3,761,594   

94,533

       SK C&C Co., Ltd.      10,109,710   
     

 

 

 
        13,871,304   
     

 

 

 

Machinery—4.1%

  

373,740

       Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.      14,945,149   
     

 

 

 

Media—2.5%

  

214,580

       Cheil Worldwide, Inc. (d)      4,949,574   

268,130

       CJ Hellovision Co., Ltd. (d)      4,201,081   
     

 

 

 
        9,150,655   
     

 

 

 


The Korea Fund, Inc. Schedule of Investments

September 30, 2013 (unaudited) (continued)

 

Shares

        Value*  

Metals & Mining—3.0%

  

37,162

       POSCO    $ 11,008,569   
     

 

 

 

Multi-line Retail—2.7%

  

39,640

       Hyundai Department Store Co., Ltd.      5,943,126   

252,985

       Hyundai Greenfood Co., Ltd. (c)      4,046,992   
     

 

 

 
        9,990,118   
     

 

 

 

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels—3.2%

  

68,995

       GS Holdings      3,622,646   

111,830

       S-Oil Corp.      8,106,808   
     

 

 

 
        11,729,454   
     

 

 

 

Pharmaceuticals—2.0%

  

32,124

       Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.      4,588,988   

22,094

       Dong-A ST Co., Ltd. (d)      2,759,583   
     

 

 

 
        7,348,571   
     

 

 

 

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment—23.3%

  

63,151

       Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.      80,327,654   

183,751

       SK Hynix, Inc. (d)      5,174,699   
     

 

 

 
        85,502,353   
     

 

 

 

Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods—0.8%

  

99,840

       Youngone Corp.      2,940,429   
     

 

 

 

Tobacco—1.5%

  

75,192

       KT&G Corp.      5,385,696   
     

 

 

 

Wireless Telecommunication Services—2.2%

  

39,130

       SK Telecom Co., Ltd.      8,001,670   
     

 

 

 
  

    Total Common Stock (cost—$221,147,920)

     361,001,181   
     

 

 

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—4.4%

  

Collateral Invested for Securities on Loan (b)—4.4%

  

15,968,688

       BNY Mellon Overnight Government Fund (cost-$15,968,688)      15,968,688   
     

 

 

 
       Total Investments (cost—$237,116,608) (a)(e)—102.6%      376,969,869   
     

 

 

 
       Liabilities in excess of other assets-(2.6)%      (9,401,152
     

 

 

 
  

    Net Assets—100.0%

   $ 367,568,717   
     

 

 

 


 

Notes to Schedule of Investments:

 

* Portfolio securities and other financial instruments for which market quotations are readily available are stated at market value. Market value is generally determined on the basis of last reported sales prices, or if no sales are reported, on the basis of quotes obtained from a quotation reporting system, established market makers, or independent pricing services.

Portfolio securities and other financial instruments for which market quotations are not readily available, or for which a development/event occurs that may significantly impact the value of a security, are fair-valued, in good faith, pursuant to procedures established by the Board of Directors, or persons acting at their discretion pursuant to procedures established by the Board of Directors. The Fund’s investments are valued daily and the net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated as of the close of regular trading (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) on each day NYSE is open for business using prices supplied by the dealer quotations, or by using the last sale price on the exchange that is the primary market for such securities, or the last quoted mean price for those securities for which the over-the-counter market is the primary market or for listed securities in which there were no sales. For foreign equity securities (with certain exceptions, if any), the Fund fair values its securities daily using modeling tools provided by statistical research service. This service utilizes statistics and programs based on historical performance of markets and other economic data (which may include changes in the value of U.S. securities or security indices).

Short-term securities maturing in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, if their original term to maturity was 60 days or less, or by amortizing their value on the 61st day prior to maturity, if the original term to maturity exceeded 60 days. Investments initially valued in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted to the U.S. dollar using exchange rates obtained from pricing services. As a result, the NAV of the Fund’s shares may be affected by changes in the value of currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The value of securities traded in markets outside the United States or denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollar may be affected significantly on a day that the NYSE is closed. The prices used by the Fund to value securities may differ from the value that would be realized if the securities were sold and these differences could be material.

 

(a) Securities with an aggregate value of $361,001,181, representing 98.2% of net assets, were valued utilizing modeling tools provided by a third-party vendor.

 

(b) Purchased with cash collateral received from securities on loan.

 

(c) A portion of securities on loan with an aggregate value of $15,190,818; cash collateral of $15,968,688 was received with which the Fund invested in the BNY Mellon Overnight Government Fund.

 

(d) Non-income producing.

 

(e) At September 30, 2013, the cost basis of portfolio securities for federal income tax purposes was $237,421,188. Gross unrealized appreciation was $144,860,697; gross unrealized depreciation was $5,312,016; and net unrealized appreciation was $139,548,681. The difference between book and tax cost was attributable to wash sale loss deferrals.


Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e. the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:

 

   

Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical investments that the Fund has the ability to access

 

   

Level 2 – valuations based on other significant observable inputs, which may include, but are not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates or other market corroborated inputs

 

   

Level 3 – valuations based on significant unobservable inputs (including the investment manager’s (Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC) and Valuation Committee’s own assumptions and securities whose price was determined by using a single broker’s quote)

The valuation techniques used by the Fund has to measure fair value during the three months ended September 30, 2013 were intended to maximize the use of observable inputs and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

The Fund’s policy is to recognize transfers between levels at the end of the reporting period. An investment asset’s or liability’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level input, individually or in aggregate, that is significant to the fair value measurement. The objective of fair value measurement remains the same even when there is a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for an asset or liability and regardless of the valuation techniques used. Investments categorized as Level 1 or 2 as of period end may have been transferred between Levels 1 and 2 since the prior period due to changes in the valuation method utilized in valuing the investments.

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. The following are certain inputs and techniques that the Fund has generally uses to evaluate how to classify each major category of assets and liabilities for Level 2 and Level 3, in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

Equity Securities (Common and Preferred Stock)—Equity securities traded in inactive markets and certain foreign equity securities are valued using inputs which include broker-dealer quotes, recently executed transactions adjusted for changes in the benchmark index, or evaluated price quotes received from independent pricing services that take into account the integrity of the market sector and issuer, the individual characteristics of the security, and information received from broker-dealers and other market sources pertaining to the issuer or security. To the extent that these inputs are observable, the values of equity securities are categorized as Level 2. To the extent that these inputs are unobservable, the values are categorized as Level 3.

A summary of the inputs used at September 30, 2013 in valuing the Fund’s assets and liabilities is listed below (refer to the Schedule of Investments for more detailed information on Investments in Securities):

 

     Level 1 -
Quoted Prices
     Level 2 -
Other Significant
Observable
Inputs
     Level 3 -
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
     Value at
9/30/13
 

Investments in Securities—Assets

           

Common Stock

   $ —         $ 361,001,181       $ —         $ 361,001,181   

Short-Term Investments

     —           15,968,688         —           15,968,688   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Totals

   $ —         $ 376,969,869       $ —         $ 376,969,869   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

At September 30, 2013, securities valued at $8,145,279 were transferred from Level 1 to Level 2. This change was a result of securities trading outside the U.S. whose values were not adjusted by the application of a modeling tool at June 30, 2013, which was applied on September 30, 2013.


Item 2. Controls and Procedures

(a) The registrant’s President & Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer, Principal Financial & Accounting Officer have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))), are effective based on their evaluation of these controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this document.

(b) There were no significant changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d))) that occurred during the registrant’s last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 3. Exhibits

(a) Exhibit 99.302 Cert.—Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

Registrant: The Korea Fund, Inc.
By:   /s/ Brian S. Shlissel
  Brian S. Shlissel
  President & Chief Executive Officer

Date: November 22, 2013

 

By:  

/s/ Lawrence G. Altadonna

  Lawrence G. Altadonna
  Treasurer, Principal Financial & Accounting Officer

Date: November 22, 2013

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

By:

  /s/ Brian S. Shlissel
  Brian S. Shlissel
  President & Chief Executive Officer

Date: November 22, 2013

 

By:

  /s/ Lawrence G. Altadonna
  Lawrence G. Altadonna
  Treasurer, Principal Financial & Accounting Officer

Date: November 22, 2013