UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
December 11, 2006
GRAVITY Co., Ltd.
14F Meritz Tower, 825-2 Yeoksam-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 135-934, Korea
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F: [x] Form 20-F [ ] Form 40-F
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): [ ]
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): [ ]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934: [ ] Yes [x] No
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): n/a
Companys Position
December 11, 2006
Dear shareholders,
In less than 15 months, the Gravity management team has addressed a number of significant and difficult challenges, many of which were inherited from the former controlling shareholder and management team. The current management team is executing on its clear strategy to create value for its shareholders, by extracting further value from existing content, building on brand strength to develop sequels to its existing games, developing and publishing new titles, and broadening distribution channels, as well as by improving corporate governance and internal control standards.
Managements progress is contrary to the public misstatements and predatory initiatives undertaken by two short-term focused hedge funds Ramius Capital Group (Ramius) and Moon Capital Management (Moon), the management team has made significant progress in enhancing shareholder value for all shareholders. Moon and Ramius, however, are merely causing significant disruption for the Company and management and hampering the managements ability to enhance shareholder value for all shareholders while not providing any concrete proposals or initiatives of their own. Given these hedge funds lack of any experience in Asia and in online gaming, it stands to reason that they have resorted to their time tested strategy of causing disruption in order to extract short term gains for themselves.
The Company has made every effort to meet and work with these short-term focused hedge funds, but it has become increasingly clear that their interests are not aligned with our shareholders long-term goals. These hedge funds are needlessly diverting corporate resources from opportunities in the online gaming arena and are merely attempting to disrupt the management teams ability to advance its strategy in order to reap short-term gains for themselves.
Since EZER purchased the controlling stake in Gravity on August 30, 2005, Gravity has taken many steps to fix the residual issues from the former controlling shareholder and former management team. Further, Gravity has sought to improve performance and drive sustainable growth in the very competitive gaming environment.
Earlier this year, Gravity provided a business and financial update that articulated current managements progress to date and detailed the Companys strategy, tactics and operational priorities. The Company would like to reiterate the key points of this update and highlight the current management teams accomplishments.
First, the Company has improved its disclosure, governance and accountability practices and continues to seek ways to improve these practices in order to meet best practice standards and create a strong and stable foundation for future growth and shareholder value. These initiatives have included the following:
Simultaneous with these efforts, the current management team has also developed, and begun to execute, its strategy to deliver sustainable or profitable growth by positioning Gravity as the leading global developer and publisher of online games. The building blocks of this strategy are as follows:
The current management team, in accordance with the strengthened practices and corporate governance controls, has advanced this strategy during its tenure through a number of initiatives, including, but not limited to, the following:
Messrs. Ryu and Baik have played a critical role in stabilizing Gravity following the legacy left from the former controlling shareholder and former management team. They strengthened Gravitys corporate governance practices, developed and are executing a clear long-term strategy and have delivered a number of positive operational developments. While costs related to the development of new games will increase in the near-term, the Company believes that it is now poised to improve its financial performance and create sustainable or profitable growth over the long-term.
Certain minority shareholders brought actions against Messrs. Ryu and Baik in April, 2006, on charges of the improper behavior relating the following:
In November 2006, the Seoul District Prosecutors Office found in favor of the Company and concluded that such transactions were within purview of the Companys strategic decision, in effect concluding, that Ramius and Moons claims were unsubstantiated under applicable laws.
The Company strongly believes that Ramius and Moon are interested in their own short-term benefit, with no regard for the long-term success of Gravity or the long-term interests of other shareholders in spite of their publicly stated intent. The Company believes that Ramius and Moon have been shortsighted, harassed other shareholders, including EZER, and used their activist and predatory tactics to try to coerce other parties to purchase their shares at a price above the market prices.
To date, neither Ramius nor Moon has put forth any alternative propositions for the improvement of the Company, concrete or otherwise. Instead, they have filed frivolous lawsuits in Korea and embarked on fishing expeditions searching through the Companys books and records. The Company believes that these hedge funds do not fundamentally understand Asian markets, the industry, nor our business. They are purely focused on their short-term profit goals. More importantly, their actions are solely a distraction from management spending its time, and resources on implementing the Companys long-term strategy.
In conclusion, the Company strongly recommends that its shareholders support the current management team in executing its long term strategic plan by voting against the hedge funds proposal to remove Messrs. Il Young Ryu and Seung Taik Baik as Directors of the Board at the Meeting on December 26, 2006.
If you have any questions, require assistance in voting your shares, or need
additional copies of proxy materials of Gravity Co., Ltd., please call MacKenzie Partners
at the phone numbers
listed below.
105 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
proxy@mackenziepartners.com
USA: (212) 929-5500 (call collect) or TOLL-FREE (800) 322-2885
UK: 44-207-170-4155
About GRAVITY Co., Ltd.
Based in South Korea, Gravity is a developer and publisher of online games. Gravity's principal product, Ragnarok Online, is a popular online game in many markets, including Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, and is currently commercially offered in 21 markets. For more information about Gravity, please visit http://www.gravity.co.kr.
Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this 6-K may include, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe-harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as may, will, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, believe project, or continue or the negative thereof or other similar words, although not all forward-looking statements will contain these words. These forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual performance, financial condition or results of operations to be materially different from those suggested by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, ourability to diversify revenue; our ability to collect, and in a timely manner, license fees and royalty payments from overseas licensees; our ability to acquire, develop, license, launch, market or operate commercially successful online games; our ability to compete effectively in a highly competitive industry; our ability to anticipate and access technological developments in our industry; our ability to recruit and retain quality employees as we grow; our ability to implement our growth strategies; and economic and political conditions globally. Investors should consider the information contained in our submissions and filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), including our registration statement on Form F-1, as amended, and our annual report on Form 20-F, together with such other documents and we may submit to or file with the SEC from time to time, including on Form 6-K. The forward-looking statements speak only as of this press release and we assume no duty to update them to reflect new, changing or unanticipated events or circumstances.
Contact:
Mr. Tae Sung Hwang
Chief Financial Officer
Gravity Co., Ltd.
Tel: +82 (0)2 2019 6141
Email: thwang@gravity.co.kr
OR
Brunswick Group:
Ellen Gonda/Erin Becker at +1 212 333 3810 or Tim Payne at +852 (2166) 8363
Email: gravity@brunswickgroup.com
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
GRAVITY Co., Ltd. | |
Date: 12/11/2006 | |
By: /s/ Tae Sung Hwang | |
Name: Tae Sung Hwang | |
Title: Chief Financial Officer |
Exhibit Index | |||
Exhibit No. | Description | ||
99. 1 | Proxy Card | ||
99. 2 | Press Release |