HONG KONG, April 19 (Reuters) - Private equity firm

Blackstone Inc ( BX ) is nearing a deal to sell its controlling

stake in South Korean wholesale drug distributor Geo-Young to

North Asian buyout fund MBK Partners for over $1 billion, three

sources said.

Representatives from Blackstone, MBK and Geo-Young declined

to comment.

(Reporting by Kane Wu in Hong Kong; additional reporting by

Hyunsu Yim in Seoul; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)