Merrill hires Joonkee Hong to head Korean debt markets

Merrill Lynch has hired Joonkee Hong from UBS as a managing director to head its debt markets in South Korea.

Based in Hong Kong, Hong will oversee all fixed-income cash and derivatives sales and marketing to Korean clients, Merrill said in an internal note. The US investment bank added that as part of its efforts to combine equity and debt activities, Hong will also be responsible for equity derivatives marketing.

Hong was UBS's global head of emerging markets derivatives in Stamford, Connecticut. He will report to Antony Hung, head of Asia Pacific debt markets and HH Choi, head of global markets and investment banking for Korea. Hong will take up his new post on April 6.