Homeplus "Priority Repayment of Rehabilitation Claims for Small Business Owners... Minimizing Inconvenience to Partners"

Sequential Payment of General Commercial Transaction Claims Starting from the 6th
Court Approves Application for Repayment of Rehabilitation Claims on the 7th
Detailed Payment Plan to Be Communicated to Partners by the 14th

Homeplus announced on the 10th that it has been sequentially paying 'public interest claims'?which it can pay on its own?starting from the 6th, regarding general commercial transaction claims that were temporarily suspended due to the commencement of corporate rehabilitation proceedings.

Claims arising within 20 days from January 4, the date when the court initiated the rehabilitation proceedings for Homeplus, are classified as public interest claims. Claims arising before this period are categorized as 'rehabilitation claims.' Court approval is required to pay rehabilitation claims, and the company explained that it received this approval on the 7th. Accordingly, Homeplus added that it plans to complete payment of all commercial transaction claims to minimize anxiety and inconvenience for its partners.

Earlier, after the commencement of Homeplus's rehabilitation proceedings, delays in repayment of commercial transaction claims led tenant (lessee) representatives who had not received settlement for January sales to express financial difficulties.

Homeplus stated that with the court's approval of the application for repayment of rehabilitation claims, it will prioritize payments to small business owners, micro-enterprises, and labor cost-related rehabilitation claims, and will also make installment repayments to large corporate creditors. Additionally, if partners take out emergency loans due to delayed payment settlements, Homeplus plans to cover the interest expenses. To establish specific implementation measures, Homeplus will prepare a detailed payment plan by the 14th and communicate it to each partner company.

A Homeplus representative said, "We will ensure that all partners, including small business owners and micro-enterprises, do not suffer damages due to this rehabilitation process," adding, "By completing payment of general commercial transaction claims, we will minimize anxiety and inconvenience for our partners."