HSBC Holdings PLC (HBC) isn't looking for an acquisition in South Korea as of now, the head of its local unit, HSBC Korea, said Wednesday.

"At the moment, there are no plans for an acquisition (in Korea)," Matthew Deakin told reporters.

He also brushed off the possibility of acquiring Prudential Investment & Securities Co. Ltd.

Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) said earlier this week that it will look into a possible sale of either Prudential Investment Securities or Prudential Asset Management Co. Ltd., or both.

In 2007, HSBC reached an agreement to buy Korea Exchange Bank (004940.SE) from Dallas-based private equity company Lone Star Funds for around $6 billion, but scrapped the deal last year amid turmoil in the global financial market.

-By Jin-Young Yook, Dow Jones Newswires; 822-2198-2230; jin-young.yook@dowjones.com