0001504304-16-000214.txt : 20161003 0001504304-16-000214.hdr.sgml : 20161003 20161003135934 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001504304-16-000214 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 20161003 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20161003 GROUP MEMBERS: ANDREW DAKOS GROUP MEMBERS: BULLDOG INVESTORS, LLC GROUP MEMBERS: PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN GROUP MEMBERS: STEVEN SAMUELS SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: KOREA EQUITY FUND INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000912023 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MD FISCAL YEAR END: 1031 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-58207 FILM NUMBER: 161915330 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: WORLDWIDE PLAZA STREET 2: 309 WEST 49TH STREET CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10019 BUSINESS PHONE: 8008330018 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: WORLDWIDE PLAZA STREET 2: 309 WEST 49TH STREET CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10019 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Bulldog Investors, LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001504304 IRS NUMBER: 270926182 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: PARK 80 WEST - PLAZA TWO STREET 2: 250 PEHLE AVE. SUITE 708 CITY: SADDLE BROOK STATE: NJ ZIP: 07663 BUSINESS PHONE: 201 556-0092 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: PARK 80 WEST - PLAZA TWO STREET 2: 250 PEHLE AVE. SUITE 708 CITY: SADDLE BROOK STATE: NJ ZIP: 07663 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: Brooklyn Capital Management LLC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20101026 SC 13D 1 third.txt SCHEDULE 13D DATE OF EVENT WHICH REQUIRES FILING OF THIS STATEMENT 9/23/16 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Bulldog Investors, LLC 2. CHECK THE BOX IF MEMBER OF A GROUP a[ ] b[] 3. SEC USE ONLY 4. SOURCE OF FUNDS WC 5. CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) AND 2(e) [] 6. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION DE ___________________________________________________________ 7. SOLE VOTING POWER 270,721 8. SHARED VOTING POWER 284,446 9. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 270,721 _______________________________________________________ 10. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 284,446 11. AGGREGATE AMOUNT OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 555,167 (Footnote 1) 12. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [] ___________________________________________________________ 13. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY ROW 11 5.70% 14. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IA ___________________________________________________________ 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Phillip Goldstein 2. CHECK THE BOX IF MEMBER OF A GROUP a[] b[] 3. SEC USE ONLY 4. SOURCE OF FUNDS WC 5. CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) AND 2(e) [] 6. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION USA ___________________________________________________________ 7. SOLE VOTING POWER 270,721 8. SHARED VOTING POWER 284,446 9. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 270,721 _______________________________________________________ 10. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 284,446 11. AGGREGATE AMOUNT OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 555,167 (Footnote 1) 12. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [] ___________________________________________________________ 13. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY ROW 11 5.70% 14. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IN ___________________________________________________________ 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Andrew Dakos 2. CHECK THE BOX IF MEMBER OF A GROUP a[] b[] 3. SEC USE ONLY 4. SOURCE OF FUNDS WC 5. CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) AND 2(e) [] 6. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION USA ___________________________________________________________ 7. SOLE VOTING POWER 270,721 8. SHARED VOTING POWER 284,446 9. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 270,721 _______________________________________________________ 10. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 284,446 11. AGGREGATE AMOUNT OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 555,167 (Footnote 1) 12. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [] ___________________________________________________________ 13. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY ROW 11 5.70% 14. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IN ___________________________________________________________ 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Steven Samuels 2. CHECK THE BOX IF MEMBER OF A GROUP a[] b[] 3. SEC USE ONLY 4. SOURCE OF FUNDS WC 5. CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) AND 2(e) [] 6. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION USA ___________________________________________________________ 7. SOLE VOTING POWER 270,721 8. SHARED VOTING POWER 284,446 9. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 270,721 _______________________________________________________ 10. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 284,446 11. AGGREGATE AMOUNT OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 555,167 (Footnote 1) 12. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [] ___________________________________________________________ 13. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY ROW 11 5.70% 14. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IN _______________________________________________________ Item 1. SECURITY AND ISSUER This Schedule 13D relates to the shares of Common Stock of Korea Equity Fund ("KEF" or the "Issuer"). The principal executive offices of KEF are located at WORLDWIDE PLAZA 309 WEST 49TH STREET NEW YORK NY 10019 Item 2. IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND (a) This statement is filed on behalf of Bulldog Investors,LLC, (a Delaware Limited Liability Company), Phillip Goldstein, Andrew Dakos and Steven Samuels. (b) The business address of the reporting persons is Park 80 West-Plaza Two, 250 Pehle Ave., Suite 708, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663. (c) Bulldog Investors,LLC is a registered investment adviser. Messrs. Goldstein, Dakos and Samuels are control persons of Bulldog Investors,LLC. (d) n/a (e) n/a (f) Each of Messrs. Goldstein, Dakos and Samuels is a citizen of the United States. ITEM 3. SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Shares of the Issuer have been accumulated on behalf of clients of Bulldog Investors,LLC. ITEM 4. PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION After an announcement on September 21, 2016 that the Fund's proposed merger with another closed-end fund would not be completed in a timely fashion, a shareholder owning more than 40% of the Fund's shares indicated that it intends to propose that the Fund's advisory agreement be terminated. Given the small size of the Fund and the likelihood that shareholders will approve such a proposal, the filing persons believe that the Fund is likely to be liquidated, in which case the discount of the trading price of the shares to their net asset value will be eliminated. ITEM 5. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER (a) As per the N-CSRS filed on June 24, 2016, there were 9,740,623 shares of common stock outstanding as of April 30, 2016. The percentages set forth herein were derived using such number. Phillip Goldstein, Andrew Dakos and Steven Samuels own Bulldog Investors, LLC, a registered investment advisor. As of September 30, 2016, Bulldog Investors, LLC is deemed to be the beneficial owner of 555,167 shares of KEF (representing 5.70% of KEF's outstanding shares) solely by virtue of Bulldog Investors LLC's power to direct the vote of,and dispose of, these shares. These 555,167 shares of KEF include 270,721 shares (representing 2.78% of KEF's outstanding shares) that are beneficially owned by the following entities over which Messrs. Goldstein, Dakos and Samuels exercise control: Opportunity Partners LP, Calapasas West Partners LP, Full Value Special Situations Fund, LP, Full Value Offshore Fund, Ltd., Opportunity Income Plus, Full Value Partners, LP, and MCM Opportunity Partners, LP (collectively, "Bulldog Investors Group of Funds"). Bulldog Investors Group of Funds may be deemed to constitute a group. All other shares included in the aforementioned 555,167 shares of KEF beneficially owned by Bulldog Investors LLC (solely by virtue of its power to sell or direct the vote of these shares) are also beneficially owned by clients of Bulldog Investors, LLC who are not members of any group. The total number of these "non-group" shares is 284,446 (representing 2.92% of KEF's outstanding shares). (b)Bulldog Investors,LLC has sole power to dispose of and vote 270,721 shares. Bulldog Investors, LLC has shared power to dispose of and vote 284,446 shares. Certain of Bulldog Investors, LLC's clients (none of whom beneficially own more than 5% of KEF's shares) share this power with Bulldog Investors, LLC. Messrs. Goldstein, Dakos and Samuels are control persons of Bulldog Investors, LLC. c) During the past 60 days the following shares of KEF were purchased: Date: Shares: Price: 08/01/16 17,219 8.1325 08/02/16 268 8.0800 08/09/16 30,700 8.1709 08/10/16 29,996 8.1667 08/11/16 1,000 8.1990 08/12/16 7,961 8.2163 08/16/16 1,931 8.2500 08/17/16 3,904 8.0927 08/18/16 1,600 8.1197 09/08/16 2,196 8.3200 09/09/16 1,766 8.1500 09/12/16 300 7.9000 09/13/16 202 7.8500 09/20/16 218 8.1900 09/21/16 1,366 8.2888 09/23/16 115,738 8.3800 09/23/16 5,500 8.3818 09/26/16 6,068 8.3683 09/27/16 2,300 8.4043 d) Clients of Bulldog Investors, LLC are entitled to receive any dividends or sales proceeds. e) N/A ITEM 6. CONTRACTS,ARRANGEMENTS,UNDERSTANDINGS OR RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESPECT TO SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER. N/A ITEM 7. MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS Exhibit A After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Dated: 10/03/16 By: /S/ Phillip Goldstein Name: Phillip Goldstein By: /S/ Andrew Dakos Name: Andrew Dakos By: /S/ Steven Samuels Name: Steven Samuels Bulldog Investors, LLC By: /s/ Andrew Dakos Andrew Dakos, Member Footnote 1: The reporting persons disclaim beneficial ownership except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein. Exhibit 1: Agreement to Make Joint Filing Agreement made as of the 3RD day of October, 2016, by and among Bulldog Investors, LLC, Phillip Goldstein, Andrew Dakos, and Steven Samuels. WHEREAS, Rule 13d-1(k)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 provides that whenever two or more persons are required to file a statement containing the information required by Schedule 13D with respect to the same securities, only one such statement need be filed, so long as, among other things, such filing includes as an exhibit an agreement among such persons that such a statement is filed on behalf of each of them; WHEREAS, in connection with certain holdings of Korea Equity FUnd (KEF), each of the parties to this Agreement is required to file a statement containing the information required by Schedule 13D with respect to the same holdings of KEF; NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree that one statement containing the information required by Schedule 13D shall be filed on behalf of each party hereto. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first written above. By:/s/ Phillip Goldstein By:/s/ Andrew Dakos Phillip Goldstein Andrew Dakos BULLDOG INVESTORS, LLC By: /s/ Steven Samuels By: /s/ Andrew Dakos Steven Samuels Andrew Dakos, Member