South Korea said Thursday it will ease regulations to bolster the activity of private equity funds (PEFs), a move intended to encourage corporate takeovers and investment in venture start-ups. A PEF refers to a fund in which a limited number of investors pool their money to take over companies. They serve as major buyers in the merger and acquisition (M&A) market, but experts have said that their activities in South Korea have been restricted due to relatively tough regulations governing their establishment and operation.