Netmarble and Coway Chairman Bang Jun-hyuk has decided to acquire a 13.4% stake in Netmarble, currently held by the Tencent subsidiary Han River Investment, for 374 billion KRW. Once the deal is finalised, the chairman's total stake will climb from 24.93% to 38.34%.

This move comes as Tencent looks to offload a portion of its holdings. To avoid the kind of market volatility that usually accompanies such a massive sell-off, Chairman Bang Jun-hyuk has stepped in to acquire the shares directly, effectively mitigating market uncertainty.

Despite the shift in equity, Netmarble stated that the business relationship with Tencent remains intact. The company explained that it will continue to collaborate in various fields, including global gaming business, based on the partnership built thus far.

A Netmarble official remarked, "This acquisition is significant as Chairman Bang Jun-hyuk has personally secured 374 billion KRW to demonstrate a commitment to responsible management as a founder and majority shareholder, while also proactively mitigating market uncertainty stemming from such a large-scale change in shareholding."