Kyobo Life Insurance Co., Ltd. is one of South Korea's largest life insurers and the third-biggest by total assets (~107 trillion won as of 2023) after Samsung Life and Hanwha Life. Founded in 1958 by Shin Yong-ho as Daehan Education Insurance (originally Taeyang Life), the company was renamed Kyobo Life Insurance in 1995. Headquartered at 1 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Kyobo offers life insurance, retirement, savings, and protection products across Korea. It is led by Chairman and CEO Shin Chang-jae, son of the founder, who has run the company since 2000. Kyobo carries A1 (Moody's) and A+ (Fitch) financial-strength ratings and has pursued multiple unsuccessful KOSPI IPO attempts since 1989, with a renewed listing/holding-company conversion push targeted around 2026 following the 2025 exit of minority shareholders Affinity Equity Partners and GIC.
Kyobo Life Insurance is publicly traded
IPO'd on 2018
This company is no longer available on our private secondary market. Shares can be traded publicly under its listed ticker.
Company data and valuation marks are estimates and may be incomplete, stale, erroneous, or revised.
Founded
1958
Employees
5,000+
Total Funding
$826.8M
1 rounds
Total raised $826.8M across 1 rounds
Funding data and valuation marks are estimates and may be incomplete, stale, erroneous, or revised.
Last updated 06-25-2026
Latest Round
Type
Secondary
Date
2012
Amount
KRW 1.2 trillion (~$826.8M)
Valuation
—
Lead Investors
Shin Chang-jae
Chairman & CEO
Competitor list is illustrative and may be incomplete, stale, or erroneous.
Samsung Life Insurance
South Korea's largest life insurer by total assets and premium income; KOSPI-listed flagship of Samsung Group's financial arm.
Hanwha Life Insurance
South Korea's second-largest life insurer, part of Hanwha Group; listed on KOSPI.
Shinhan Life Insurance
Life insurance subsidiary of Shinhan Financial Group, formed from the 2021 merger of Orange Life and Shinhan Life.
NH NongHyup Life Insurance
Life insurance arm of NongHyup Financial Group, serving primarily agricultural cooperative members.
Mirae Asset Life Insurance
Life insurance affiliate of Mirae Asset Financial Group; KOSPI-listed.
Tongyang Life Insurance
Mid-sized Korean life insurer owned by China's Dajia Insurance Group; KOSPI-listed.
Kyobo Life has attempted a KOSPI IPO multiple times since 1989. After abandoning a 2018 listing plan, the company refiled for preliminary review with the Korea Exchange in December 2021 but was rejected in July 2022 due to governance concerns tied to a protracted put-option dispute with minority shareholders Affinity Equity Partners and GIC. The ICC arbitration and subsequent Korean courts ultimately ruled against Chairman Shin, and in March 2025 Affinity (9.05%) and GIC (4.5%) sold out of Kyobo to Shinhan Securities and other domestic financial firms, removing a key obstacle. Remaining FIs IMM PE and EQT Partners are weighing a put-option revaluation at IPO price (per March 2026 reports). Chairman Shin (33.78% direct, ~36.91% with family/related parties) is pushing to convert Kyobo into a financial holding company by 2026, including the planned acquisition of a 50%+1 stake in SBI Savings Bank for KRW 900 billion by October 2026. Market watchers estimate IPO enterprise value at KRW 3–5 trillion. Status remains private as of May 2026.
Kyobo Life Insurance shares can be purchased through any standard brokerage account — including Fidelity, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and online platforms like Robinhood or E*TRADE. Search for the ticker to place an order.
Kyobo Life Insurance went public in 2018 via ipo. Kyobo Life has attempted a KOSPI IPO multiple times since 1989. After abandoning a 2018 listing plan, the company refiled for preliminary review with the Korea Exchange in December 2021 but was rejected in July 2022 due to governance concerns tied to a protracted put-option dispute with minority shareholders Affinity Equity Partners and GIC. The ICC arbitration and subsequent Korean courts ultimately ruled against Chairman Shin, and in March 2025 Affinity (9.05%) and GIC (4.5%) sold out of Kyobo to Shinhan Securities and other domestic financial firms, removing a key obstacle. Remaining FIs IMM PE and EQT Partners are weighing a put-option revaluation at IPO price (per March 2026 reports). Chairman Shin (33.78% direct, ~36.91% with family/related parties) is pushing to convert Kyobo into a financial holding company by 2026, including the planned acquisition of a 50%+1 stake in SBI Savings Bank for KRW 900 billion by October 2026. Market watchers estimate IPO enterprise value at KRW 3–5 trillion. Status remains private as of May 2026.
Kyobo Life Insurance raised $826.8M across 1 disclosed funding rounds prior to its public listing.
Kyobo Life Insurance is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
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