Kim settled 34.2 billion won earlier this month and will cover the remaining 32.2 billion won from his own funds by early next week, MBK said, clearing the debtor-in-possession loan extended by Curious Partners in full.
Curious Partners lent Homeplus 60 billion won in May last year to keep the chain trading, with Kim among the guarantors.
The lender declared an event of default after the Seoul Bankruptcy Court briefly scrapped the rehabilitation in July, triggering his obligation.
Kim will not seek reimbursement from Homeplus, and none of the retailer's operating cash or funds set aside for its rehabilitation plan was used, MBK said.
A further 10 billion won of a 50 billion won loan raised against his personal assets was repaid late last month.
"Combining the earlier personal contributions and MBK Partners' support, the cash directly borne by Chairman Kim and MBK Partners since Homeplus entered rehabilitation in March last year comes to 240 billion won," MBK said.
The figure excludes guarantees that have yet to be called.
The court approved Homeplus's rehabilitation plan on Sept. 2, 18 months after the once second-largest hypermarket chain filed for protection and weeks after its remaining stores shut for a month for lack of cash.
MBK puts the combined burden, including guarantees, at about 600 billion won, of which about 400 billion won is yet to be called.
AJP Takeaways
- MBK Partners Chairman Kim Byung-ju will repay the full 66.4 billion won of principal and interest on a debtor-in-possession loan he personally guaranteed for Homeplus, with the balance due by early October 2026.
- Curious Partners extended the 60 billion won loan in May 2025 and called it in July 2026, when the Seoul Bankruptcy Court briefly terminated Homeplus's rehabilitation before reversing itself on July 21, 2026.
- The Seoul Bankruptcy Court approved Homeplus's rehabilitation plan on Sept. 2, 2026; MBK says its total exposure runs to about 600 billion won, including guarantees not yet called.
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