JLL Korea Makes Bold Move in Hotel Capital Markets, Brings in Deal Veteran Lee Eung-seok as Executive Vice President [fnMarketWatch]

[Financial News] Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (JLL) is stepping up efforts to target Korea’s hotel investment market. As competition intensifies in hotel transactions and advisory services, the company has placed a real-estate deal veteran with experience at The Chosun Hotel and global accounting and consulting firms at the forefront of its expansion.
According to investment banking industry sources on the 17th, JLL Korea appointed Executive Vice President Lee Eung-seok as head of its hotels and hospitality division. Lee will lead JLL’s hotel capital-markets business in Korea in coordination with the company’s global and Asia-Pacific expert networks. He will oversee capital-markets and advisory services, ranging from business strategies tailored to individual investors to hotel acquisitions and disposals.
The appointment is seen as coinciding with the recovery of Korea’s hotel investment market. As domestic and overseas investors show growing interest in luxury and upscale hotels, particularly in Seoul, advisory capabilities that cover not only real-estate transactions but also operating strategies, value enhancement, and capital structures are becoming increasingly important.
An investment banking industry source said, "Unlike offices or logistics centers, hotels are assets that must be evaluated not only on the basis of real-estate value but also by considering their brands, operating performance, and room rates." The source added, "As the hotel investment market has recently revived, competition is also intensifying to secure advisers who combine transaction experience with an understanding of hotel operations."
Lee has built more than 30 years of experience in the domestic and international real-estate and hospitality sectors. After handling strategic planning and new-business development at The Chosun Hotel of the Shinsegae Group, he worked as a partner at Deloitte and EY for more than 20 years, leading real-estate advisory organizations.
At global consulting firms, he served as a senior partner responsible for financial advisory and strategy development for landmark hotels and urban real-estate projects. He also participated in numerous high-value real-estate transactions involving tourism, leisure, and luxury hotels. His experience with both hotel operators and accounting and consulting firms is expected to give JLL an advantage as it expands its hotel capital-markets business.
JLL Korea plans to use the appointment as an opportunity to expand its hotel acquisition, disposal, and investment advisory businesses in Korea and overseas. In particular, the company is expected to focus on strengthening its competitiveness in cross-border transactions by combining its global investor network with expertise in Korea’s hotel market.
Taeho Yi, CEO of JLL Korea, noted, "Interest in Korea’s hotel and hospitality market has grown even stronger since the beginning of 2026." He added, "Lee’s arrival will serve as an important opportunity to further strengthen JLL Korea’s hotel capital-markets capabilities."
Lee emphasized, "As competition between investors and service providers intensifies in Korea’s hotel and hospitality market, demand for innovative advisory solutions is growing." He added, "By combining JLL’s global network with local expertise, we will provide differentiated value."
[email protected] Kang Gu-gwi Reporter