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This paper analyses how a dominant entrepreneur of the Korean chaebol is able to exercise control, despite having a tiny shareholding, through strategic interlocking ownership. The entrepreneur organises his intimate group, consisting of three clusters of in-house shareholders, and they together have controlling interests in only a few subsidiaries, mainly public companies. These central subsidiaries, as quasi-holding companies, control most other member companies. The resultant ownership structure resembles a grid, in which individual subsidiaries’ ownership structures are intermingled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The reduction in plasma LDL-C concentrations with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin) therapy has been reported to reduce cardiovascular risk and mortality in individuals with or without preexisting coronary artery disease and elevated LDL-C concentrations. Atorvastatin is a statin used for lowering LDL-C concentrations. A generic formulation of atorvastatin is being developed in Korea. This study was undertaken for the purposes of marketing the generic formulation. Objective: This study was designed to compare the efficacy and tolerability of a generic formulation of atorvastatin 20 mg/d versus a branded formulation at the same dosage in hypercholesterolemic Korean adults at high risk for cardiovascular events. Methods: This 8-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy study was conducted at 10 clinical centers in Korea between September 2008 and May 2009. Male and female patients aged 20 to 85 years at high risk for cardiovascular events (defined as an elevated LDL-C concentration [≥100 mg/dL]) were enrolled. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive generic or branded atorvastatin 20 mg once daily for 8 weeks. The primary end point was the percentage change from baseline to 8 weeks in LDL-C concentration. Secondary end points were the percentage changes from baseline in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-C, apolipoprotein (apo) A1 and B, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations; small, dense LDL (sdLDL) fraction; and tolerability. Tolerability was assessed using physical examination, laboratory testing, and by recording adverse events (AEs) at each visit. An additional secondary end point was the proportion of patients who achieved an LDL-C goal of <100 mg/dL. Results: A total of 244 patients were randomized to treatment, and 33 patients were withdrawn from the study (9 patients did not receive the study medication, 11 patients due to AEs, and 13 patients due to withdrawal of consent). A total of 211 patients completed the study (50.7% male; 100% Asian; mean [SD] age, 61.7 [9.2] years) (106 patients in the group that received Accepted for publication October 5, 2010. the generic formulation and 105 patients in the group that received the branded formulation). LDL-C concentrations were reduced from the baseline by 44% and 46% after 8 weeks of treatment with the generic and branded formulations, respectively (P = NS). The percentage changes from baseline to study end in HDL-C, TC, TG, apo A1, apo B, and hsCRP concentrations and sdLDL fraction the proportions of patients who achieved the LDL-C goal between the 2 groups did not reach statistical significance. The most commonly reported events were hepatobiliary laboratory abnormality (1.7%), general somatic discomfort (1.7%), and epigastric pain (0.8%) in the group that received the generic formulation, and myalgia (1.7%), epigastric pain (0.9%), and elevation of creatinine phosphokinase (0.9%) in the group that received the branded formulation. No serious AEs were reported in either group. Conclusions: After 8 weeks of treatment, the differences in the LDL-C-lowering effects between the generic and branded formulations of atorvastatin 20 mg/d did not reach statistical significance in these Korean patients at high risk for cardiovascular events. Both formulations were generally well tolerated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Patients with masked hypertension (MH) tend to have a higher risk than those with white-coat hypertension (WCH). Therefore, we evaluated the characteristics of MH and WCH in Korean patients receiving medical treatment for hypertension. We enrolled 1019 outpatients (56 ± 10 y, 488 males) with diagnosed hypertension who had not changed oral anti-hypertensive medication for 6 months. Clinic blood pressure (CBP) was checked by a nurse and doctor twice per visit. Home BP (HBP) was checked every morning and evening for 1 week. In the MH patients, mean CBP was 130/80 mmHg, whereas HBP was 137/86 mmHg. In the WCH patients, mean CBP was 149/86 mmHg by physician and 143/85 mmHg by nurse and mean HBP was 124/75 mmHg. Age and gender did not differ between the groups. Waist and hip circumferences and the level of fasting glucose were higher in patients with MH than in patients with WCH (p = 0.008, 0.016, 0.009, respectively). Metabolic risk factors were more frequent in patients with WCH, MH, and uncontrolled hypertension than in patients with controlled hypertension. The incidence of metabolic risk factors, however, did not differ between patients with WCH and MH. Heart damage was more frequent in MH than in WCH (p = 0.03). The incidence of metabolic risk factors did not differ between patients with WCH and those with MH. Target organ damage was more closely related to MH than to WCH. Home BP measurement was a useful tool for discriminating WCH and MH in patients with hypertension.