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Based on research conducted by Asia Business Law Journal, the following are Korea’s top 100 lawyers (including foreign legal counsel/advisors/consultants practising in Korea).

Click here to read the editorial report that accompanies the A-List.

Biographies and contact details, where provided, were written by the lawyers themselves and have not been independently verified.

Ahn Yong Seok Lee & Ko Ahn Yong Seok
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4341
Email: yongseok.ahn@leeko.com


Key practice areas: Competition & antitrust; compliance; corporate & commercial; corporate governance; M&A
Yong Seok Ahn is a partner in charge of competition law, M&A and general corporate practices at Lee & Ko. Mr. Ahn was a managing partner at Lee & Ko from March 2018 to February 2022. Since joining Lee & Ko in 1989, he has represented many cases involving multinational companies which are related to Korean competition laws including cartel, merger filing, abuse of dominance and unfair trade practices before the Korean Fair Trade Commission. He continues to be very active in the field of M&A and has represented many multinational corporations in their acquisition of Korean companies.

Bang John Peter & Kim John Bang
Peter & Kim
Key practice areas: Arbitration & litigation; investments & BITs; trade law & WTO; M&A

Chang Michael Shin & Kim Michael Chang
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: Project finance; acquisition finance; foreign investments (inbound & outbound); M&A; energy & resources

Chang Yong-Jae Lee & Ko Chang Yong Jae
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4394
Email: yongjae.chang@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Banking & finance; litigation; outbound investment; power & energy; project finance
Yong-Jae Chang is a senior foreign attorney in the Banking and Finance Group with over 20 years of broad professional experience which covers various areas of Acquisition Finance, Structured Finance, Project Finance, Private Equity, Real Estate, Asset Management, Islamic Finance, Capital Markets, Energy & Natural Resources, Mergers & Acquisitions and Cross-border Investment. He is highly regarded as one of leading lawyers in Korea by many leading legal publications and is particularly well-known for his expertise in banking, structured finance and cross-border transactions.

Mr. Chang regularly advises major international and Korean financial institutions and corporations (including asset management companies) and has represented his clients in numerous high-profile ‘cross-border’ transactions involving Korea and other jurisdictions, some of which received the prestigious “Deal of the Year” awards in Asia. Such notable transactions include the following (at the time of the relevant awards):

– Korea’s largest acquisition finance-
– Korea’s first management buyout (MBO) finance
– Korea’s first staple financing in Korea-
– Korea’s first dim sum bonds issued by a Korean corporation-
– Korea’s largest sale of non-performing loans (NPL)
– Korea’s first Yen-based future ticket receivables securitization-
– Korea’s largest mortgage-backed securities (MBS) securitization

Mr. Chang was educated in Korea and overseas and is qualified as a solicitor of England & Wales and Australia (New South Wales and Queensland). He is also qualified as a CPA in Australia.

Mr. Chang maintains a keen interest, together with his extensive experience in cross-border transactions, to actively participate in those leading associations of international lawyers (such as the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) and the International Bar Association (IBA)) and has served as the Chair of the Cross-Border Investment Committee and the Counsel Member and of the IPBA as well as an officer of a relevant committee of the IBA. He was also a special advisory member (for international affairs) to the Korean Bar Association and the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and is currently an advisory panel member for Asia Pacific Infrastructure Partnership. He has written many articles for leading international legal publications and has spoken at various international & national conferences and seminars.

Cho Keun-Ah Kim & Chang Cho Keun-Ah
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Inbound investment; outbound investment; project finance; real estate

Cho Sung-Keuk Cho & Lee Cho Sung-Keuk
Cho & Lee
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; insurance & reinsurance; international trade & bilateral investment treaties; litigation; shipping

Cho Young Kyun Kim & Chang Cho Young Kyun
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Banking & finance; power & energy; project finance

Choe Jeong Yeol Yulchon Choe Jeong Yeol
Yulchon
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; data protection; IP; litigation

Choi Dong Shik Kim & Chang Choi Dong Shik
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: E-commerce, fintech, blockchain & cryptos; M&A; technology, media & telecommunications

Choi JH Choi & Kim Choi JH
Choi & Kim
Key practice areas: Aviation; insurance & reinsurance; international trade & bilateral investment treaties; litigation; shipping

Choi Woo-young HMP Law Choi Woo-young
HMP Law
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; IP; litigation; restructuring & insolvency; taxation

Christensen Matthew Kim & Chang Matthew Christensen
Kim & Chang

Tel:  +82 2 3703 5859
Email:  matthew.christensen@kimchang.com 

Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR
Matthew Christensen is a senior foreign attorney in Kim & Chang’s International arbitration and cross-border litigation practice. Throughout his career, Matthew has acted for private and public sector clients in dozens of substantial international arbitration cases under the rules of major arbitral institutions, including many substantial disputes arising from high-value and complex international construction projects.

He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and currently serves as co-chair of the International Construction Projects Committee of the IPBA. Matthew is recognised as one of the leading dispute resolution practitioners in Korea by Chambers Asia-Pacific and Legal 500, among others, and is recommended by Who’s Who Legal in the areas of Arbitration, Construction and Mediation. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School and also holds an AM degree in East Asian Regional Studies from Harvard University and an Honors BA in English Literature from the University of Utah.

Chung Anna Shearman Sterling Anna Chung
Shearman Sterling
Key practice areas: Banking & finance; infrastructure; joint ventures; power & energy; project finance

Chung Byung-Suk Kim & Chang Chung Byung-Suk
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; insurance & reinsurance; international trade & bilateral investment treaties; litigation; shipping

Chung Cecil Saehoon Yulchon Cecil Saehoon Chung
Yulchon
Key practice areas: Competition & antitrust; compliance; litigation; technology, media & telecommunications; white-collar crime

Chung Eui Jong Bae Kim & Lee Chung Eui Jong
Bae Kim & Lee
Key practice areas: Capital markets; banking & finance; securitisation & structured finance; project finance; restructuring & insolvency

Chung Jin Yeong Kim & Chang Chung Jin Yeong
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; banking & finance; corporate & commercial; litigation; restructuring & insolvency

Chung Myoung Jae Kim & Chang Chung Myoung Jae
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Banking & finance; capital markets; corporate governance; M&A; private equity, venture capital & funds

Dhong Edward Yoon & Yang Edward Dhong
Yoon & Yang
Key practice areas: Anti-corruption & anti-bribery; competition & antitrust; corporate & commercial; labour & employment; technology, media & telecommunications

Do Gun Chul Bae Kim & Lee Do Gun Chul
Bae Kim & Lee
Key practice areas: Real estate; project finance; M&A; inbound investment, outbound investment

Gerstner Kurt Dentons Lee Kurt Gerstner
Dentons Lee
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; competition & antitrust; IP; litigation; product liability

Han Bong Hee Yulchon Han Bong Hee
Yulchon
Key practice areas: Corporate & finance; M&A; acquisition finance; project finance; real estate & construction

Han Jinduk Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Han Jinduk
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Key practice areas: Antitrust; banking & finance; capital markets; emerging markets; technology & telecoms

Han Ri Bong Bae Kim & Lee Han Ri Bong
Bae Kim & Lee
Key practice areas: Corporate & commercial; compliance; corporate governance; M&A; private equity, venture capital & funds

Han Sang Jin Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Han Sang Jin
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Key practice areas: Inbound investment; joint ventures; M&A; outbound investment; private equity, venture capital & funds

Hayes Sean IPG Legal Sean Hayes
IPG Legal
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; compliance; corporate & commercial; labour & employment; licensing & franchising

Hong Claudia Chong-Ah Shin & Kim Claudia Chong-Ah Hong
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: Compliance; corporate & commercial; data protection; technology, media & telecommunications,; regulatory affairs & public policy

Hong Suakbuam Yoon & Yang Hong Suakbuam
Yoon & Yang
Key practice areas: Competition & antitrust; compliance; corporate governance; consumer dispute resolution

Huh Young Man Kim & Chang Huh Young Man
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Capital markets; corporate governance; M&A; private equity, venture capital & funds

Hwang Ju Myung HMP Law Hwang Ju Myung
HMP Law
Key practice areas: General corporate; employment law; international disputes; IP; antitrust & competition

Jeong Hwan Lee & Ko Jeong Hwan
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4940
Email: hwan.jeong@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Competition & antitrust; compliance; corporate & commercial; corporate governance; M&A
Hwan JEONG is a senior partner and the head of Antitrust & Competition group at Lee & Ko. His practice focuses on a broad range of antitrust & competition law matters including investigation of merger review, cartels, abuse of market dominance and unfair trade practices, and antitrust litigation.

Mr. Jeong has handled many high-profile antitrust cases in his 25+ years of practice, including the Korea Fair Trade Commission’s case against Microsoft in which he represented the commission. Additionally, he has handled many cartel cases such as an international FX cartel, an international auto parts cartel, an international capacitor cartel, an international airline cartel, an international LCD cartel, and an international DRAM cartel. He also has been involved in many global merger review cases, cross-border investments and general corporate transactions. He served as a member of International Bar Association Antitrust Committee Unilateral Conduct Working Group.

Mr. Jeong also served as an Advisory Counsel for the Competition Policy Advisory Committee of the Korea Fair Trade Commission. He was an ad-hoc instructor at the Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea, where he taught international contract law and was an ad-hoc instructor at the Seoul National University Law School, and the Korea University Law School where he taught antitrust law. He is a frequent speaker and has also written extensively on topics related to antitrust and competition law. He provides legal advice to the Korea Fair Trade Commission in connection with the amendment of Korean antitrust laws and regulations as an antitrust expert.

Jung Jinyoung Lee & Ko Jung Jinyoung
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4351
Email: jinyoung.jung@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Insurance, maritime litigation; aviation; maritime & shipping; litigation & arbitration; international trade
Jinyoung Jung joined Lee & Ko in 1995 and has been practicing in maritime, aviation, insurance, international commercial disputes and energy commodity for 25 years. He deserves competitive reputation in his practice areas from the clients as well as in the market.

Throughout his professional career, he has been involved in a number of major cases, including the ‘MV Hebei Spirit vs Samsung Barge No 1’ case, the ‘Air China Aircraft Crash at Gimhae’ case, the ‘KAL Aircraft Crash at Guam’ case and the ‘Seizure by Somali pirate of MV Bright Ruby’ case etc. He also represented many foreign/domestic clients (Hanjin Shipping, Korea Line Corporation, Britania P&I Club, Steamship Mutual P&I Club, North China Shipping, Korea Air Line, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, Korea Exchange Bank, Natixis Bank, Calyon Bank etc) in the area of maritime, aviation and commercial disputes.

Further, as the lead partner of energy group at Lee & Ko, he has been also advising major energy-related companies such as KOGAS, KEPCO, Korea District Heating Corporation, POSCO, Hyundai Steel and E1 Corporation etc with in-depth knowledge and experience in the energy commodity area. Especially he represented KOGAS in Sakhalin II LNG Project and in Mexico Manzanilo LNG Terminal Project, represented POSCO in LNG Tank Storage Service Project and represented STX Energy in Renaissance Project in Alabama, USA.

He ever worked as a foreign associate at Richard Butler, London Office (2001) and at Richard Butler, H.K. Office (2002) to enhance his specialty in maritime area as well as to establish a good network with shipping-related firms in UK. He also took a secondment at Beaumont & Son to advance his competitiveness in aviation area. He was a lecturer in maritime law at the Judicial Research and Training Institute in 2008.

Jung Kyung Taek Kim & Chang Jung Kyung Taek
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Competition & antitrust; compliance; corporate & commercial; M&A

Jung Woo Young Lee & Ko Jung Woo Young
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4383
Email: wooyoung.jung@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Corporate restructuring; energy & resources; structured finance; banking; ship & aviation finance
Woo Young JUNG is a partner of Banking & Finance Group at Lee & Ko with almost 20 years of practice experience in area of finance and general banking. During his long tenure as banking attorney, he has handled and advised on a wide variety of financing schemes, e.g. asset financing, project financing, securities, corporate rehabilitation and asset backed securitization, but always with a concentration on the area of shipfinance. He advises shipping companies and financial institutions (both local and offshore) on the acquisition of new buildings and secondhand ships, offshore oil and gas, cross border leases, tax leases under US, UK and France revenue regulations, the fund scheme and other structured financing, many of which have been bench mark deals in the Korean market.

He also advises, as a designated outside counsel, many of the government and government related authorities delegated to drafting and implementing the anti-money laundering legislation and other financial regulations, e.g. the Bank of Korea, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Export-Import Bank of Korea, the Korea Development Bank, the Korea Export Insurance Corporation, the Korea Highway Corporation and recently the Korea Finance Corporation, and makes active contributions. He has acted as an advisor of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, as advisory member of Korea Financial Intelligence Unit, and as outsider Director of Korea Line Corporation, a shipping Company.

He also writes and lectures frequently on structured finance, shipfinance, ship investment company act at the Judicial Research and Training Institute, the Korea Securities Research and Training Institute and the International Bar Association, and publishes articles (with his prior publications including “Introduction to the Banking Practice of the Shipfinance” (2006) – BFL, Finance Center of Seoul National University, and “Asset-Backed Securitization in Korea” (2003) Asia Law and Practice).

Kang Seok Hoon Yulchon Kang Seok Hoon
Yulchon
Key practice areas: Inheritance & gift tax & family business sucesssion; tax; tax litigation; tax crimes

Kang Tony (DongWook) Bae Kim & Lee Tony (DongWook) Kang
Bae Kim & Lee
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; banking & finance; litigation; M&A; white-collar crime

Kang Yully Jipyong Yully Kang
Jipyong
Key practice areas: Corporate; real estate finance; project finance; structured finance & derivatives; acquisition financing

Kim Beomsu KL Partners Kim Beomsu
KL Partners
Key practice areas: Commercial arbitration; investor-state disputes; cross-border litigation; general corporate

Kim CJ Choi & Kim Kim CJ
Choi & Kim
Key practice areas: Bankruptcy & insolvency; insurance & reinsurance; international trade & bilateral investment treaties; litigation; shipping

Kim Dong Eun Lee & Ko Kim Dong Eun
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4397
Email: dongeun.kim@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Construction; energy & natural resources; project finance & infrastructure; construction litigation; real estate
Dong Eun Kim is leading the Project & Energy Practice Group and co-leading the Construction and Real Estate Practice Group. He has a wealth of experience and expertise in advising for over 20 years on all kinds of inbound and outbound transactions related to social overhead capital, energy and real estate development, construction, operation, financing, investment and restructuration. Dong Eun Kim also works from Lee & Ko PanGyo Office and provides comprehensive and focused advice to meet the progressive needs of industrial innovation and IT companies.

Mr. Kim has experience representing all important project stakeholders such as major project investors, syndicated lenders, project company and government. Since 2014 and over a 3-year span, he has provided advice on about 125 large inbound and outbound projects related to social overhead capital, energy and real estate.

Some noticeable examples of the aforementioned projects include domestic public-private partnerships (PPP), such as the West Suwon-Osan PPP, the Yongin-Seoul PPP, the Eulsuk-do Bridge PPP, the Pusan New Port PPP, as well as overseas PPP, such as the Ivory Coast Abidjan Urban Train Project, ÇANAKKALE Bridge and Highway Project, Kuala Lumpur- Singapore High Speed Rail Project, Tukai Kartanegara Coal Terminal Development Project, New Intercity Fleet Project in New South Wales, Australia, Thi Nghe Wastewater Project in Hochimin, Vietnam and Renewable Energy Project in Guam(Phase II). Also worth mentioning are domestic energy related projects, such as the Poseung community energy project, the Pyeongtaek/ Gimcheon/ Jeonbuk energy project, the Jangmun combined cycle power plant project, the Goseong coal power generation project, the Jeollanam-do Shinan wind power project, as well as overseas energy related projects, which include about 10 Japanese solar projects in Hitachi, Kirishima, Wakayama, Hamada, etc. the wind power project in Tafila, Jordan, the hydro-electric power project in Athmuquam, Pakistan. Domestic real estate projects such as the Pyeongchon G Square Complex acquisition, the Capital Tower sale, as well as overseas real estate projects such as the real estate development projects in Business Bay and Culture Village, Dubai and Bason City, Vietnam, are also to be noted.

Mr. Kim has been selected on numerous occasions as “Leading Lawyer” in the fields of Project Finance/ Energy/ Real Estate by foreign top law firms ranking institutions such as Chambers Asia, Legal 500, etc., and is regarded as one of the finest experts in those areas.

Kim Dong Soo Yulchon Kim Dong Soo
Yulchon
Key practice areas: Succession planning (family office); taxation

Kim Doo-Sik Shin & Kim Kim Doo-Sik
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: International arbitration; investor-state dispute settlement; WTO & FTA disputes; trade remedies; economic sanctions & export controls

Kim Jae Hoon Lee & Ko Kim Jae Hoon
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4440
Email: jaehoon.kim@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Corporate; M&A; IP; unfair competition; litigation
Jae Hoon Kim joined Lee & Ko in 1986 and practiced in the Corporate Practice Group for ten years. Mr. Kim then moved to head the IP Practice Group at Lee & Ko where he earned the reputation as a brilliant IP litigation strategist and was named as a top IP practitioner by numerous evaluators, including Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. In 2013, Mr. Kim became the managing partner of Lee & Ko.

Throughout his professional career, Mr. Kim has been involved in a number of landmark cases. He was the lead counsel in a patent infringement lawsuit in connection with diaper-related patents, another landmark case where he successfully vitiated the largest damages ever claimed in Korea. He also represented multinational companies in patent litigations covering chemical, pharmaceutical, bio-technology, mechanical, electrical, telecommunications, and computer software industries.

Mr. Kim has advised and represented numerous foreign trademark owners in trademark disputes enforcing their trademark rights. He has also represented a number of famous musical artists, actors and actresses in high-profile copyright disputes. In particular, he successfully represented a client in the first “functional drawing copyright” lawsuit in the history of Korean jurisprudence.

Mr. Kim’s in-depth experience in unfair competition covers a broad context, including trade secret misappropriation. He advised and represented a number of high-tech companies in cross-border trade secret misappropriation cases and assisted in establishing guidelines for trade secret protection. His enforcement strategies have also been proven effective against counterfeiters and cyber squatters in domain name disputes.

Mr. Kim is also an expert in IP licensing. He advised on numerous licensing matters that arise in connection with research and development, patents, trademarks, and know-how, In addition, he served as Vice-Chair for the distribution and licensing committee of the International Bar Association, drafted Korean Fair Trade Commission guidelines for licensing, and authored “Experience and Practice of Regulating Industrial Property Licensing and Transfer of Technology Agreement in Relation to Promotion of Trade and Investment in the Republic of Korea” (WIPO-1993).

Mr. Kim has been recognized for his ability to effectively manage product liability, environment and safety, white collar crime, and other complex cases that require organic and comprehensive collaboration of multiple practice areas and have far-reaching impact on the viability of the clients’ businesses in Korea and abroad.

Lastly, Mr. Kim’s experience in international franchises is unrivaled. He advised and represented franchisors in negotiations for international hotels, family restaurants, fast-food chains, and coffee franchises. He is a frequent lecturer at the International Franchise Lawyers Association and authored “Legislation and Regulation Relevant to Franchises in Korea” (IFLA-2003). Moreover, he is a lecturer at the Judicial Research and Training Institute of Korea and the International Intellectual Property Training Institute since 1993.

Kim Ji Hyung Jipyong Kim Ji Hyung
Jipyong
Key practice areas: Dispute resolution; labour & employment; industrial health & safety; construction & real estate; criminal defence

John Kim Lee & Ko John Kim
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4931
Email: john.kim@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; competition & antitrust; IP; litigation
John Kim is a trial lawyer specializing in Cross-Border Litigation and International Dispute Resolution.

As a Partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, Mr. Kim represented multinational clients from both the plaintiff and defense perspective at the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Eastern District of Texas, and the Northern District of California. Resident in Quinn Emanuel’s Silicon Valley Office, he also led strategic counseling teams on behalf of a diverse international client base to maximize leverage and create real-world solutions in multiple IP disputes and competition law matters.

As Assistant General Counsel of Intellectual Property at Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. in Seoul, John provided counsel on corporate-wide IP policy reform and the efficient management of antitrust and patent litigation risk profiles. He also conducted licensing and IP acquisition negotiations with several Global 500 entities. At Samsung, John managed over 100 world-wide litigation and licensing matters for Samsung’s Semiconductor, Telecommunications, Display, and Digital Media business units.

John has also been involved in negotiating patent licenses in the semiconductor, consumer electronics, and software industries and he has represented clients regarding standard-essential patent licensing issues before tribunals and competition authorities around the world. John combines his corporate experience with his law firm experience to provide a wide range of clients with legal advice and counseling grounded in the practical realities of global businesses.

The 2021 feature article by the Asia Business Law Journal naming John to the “A-List” of Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers describes him as “an outstanding patent litigation specialist based in Korea [and] his experience spans across the globe, in the US, Asia and Europe. He is also well versed in disputes concerning trademarks and copyrights. He is one of the recommended lawyers to anyone dealing with IP dispute matters.” The 2020 edition of the IAM Patent 1000 described John as “the go-to counsel for high-stakes cross-licensing deals.” The 2019 “A-List” article by the Asia Business Law Journal listing John in their inaugural survey noted that “John Kim has in-depth legal knowledge, a willingness to engage in legal environments outside general practice, and an ability to effectively and efficiently communicate legal information to our company.”

In addition, John has been named to the IAM Patent 1000 in the patent litigation area each year since 2016 where he has been described by clients as “a tenacious litigator whose abilities are crucial to the set’s continued contentious success” with “unparalleled international expertise.” In 2020, the World Trademark Review also listed John as among the top trademark litigation attorneys in the world and noted that “John Kim makes his way into the enforcement and litigation table this year after representing EPIC Games in an epic unfair competition suit against PUBG.”

Technology Expertise
John’s IP, antitrust, and contentious regulatory matters have covered a wide range of leading-edge technologies, including semiconductors (SDRAM, DDR, Flash, RDRAM, ARM processors, packaging, and ASICs), biotechnology (RNAi, CRISPR-Cas9, and Whole Genome Sequencing), software (artificial intelligence, machine learning, parasitic impedance simulators, database management, inventory systems, and Internet protocols), textiles (para-aramid fibers), LCDs (panel manufacturing processes and driver control circuits), consumer electronics (monitors, laptops, desktops, MP3 players, ODDs, HDDs, camcorders, and printers), and telecommunication networks (GSM, GPRS, CDMA, WCDMA, LTE, WiMAX, 3G, 4G, and 5G).

Kim Kap-You (Kevin) Peter & Kim Kap-You (Kevin) Kim
Peter & Kim
Key practice areas: Arbitration & litigation; investments & BITs; trade law & WTO; project finance; M&A

Kim Michael Kobre & Kim Michael Kim
Kobre & Kim
Key practice areas: Insolvency & debtor-creditor disputes; international judgment enforcement & offshore asset recovery; government enforcement defence; investigations, examinations & monitorships; claim monetisation & dilution

Kim Sae Youn Kim & Chang Kim Sae Youn
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; international trade & bilateral investment treaties; joint ventures; litigation; M&A

Kim Sam Yoon & Yang Sam Kim
Yoon & Yang
Tel: +82 2 6182 8530
Email: samkim@yoonyang.com

Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; international trade & bilateral investment treaties; litigation
Sam Kim is a partner and senior foreign attorney specialising in international arbitration and cross-border litigation and has represented clients in arbitrations administered under the rules of various institutions including the ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, KCAB, AAA/ICDR, JCAA and DIS, in disputes related to inbound/outbound investments, joint ventures, sales of goods, licensing of intellectual property, shipping, and construction.

Prior to joining Yoon & Yang, he served as an in-house counsel for a global conglomerate managing cross-border litigations related to commercial disputes, false advertising, product liability, and class actions in jurisdictions in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

He is consistently ranked as a leading individual in the field of international arbitration in Korea by Chambers and has also been ranked as a litigation star by Benchmark Litigation. He has also been nominated as the Foreign Lawyer of the Year in Korea by Asian Legal Business (ALB) for 2022.

Kim Sang Gon Lee & Ko Kim Sang Gon
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4362
Email: sanggon.kim@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Corporate governance; defence; M&A; private equity, venture capital & funds; restructuring & insolvency
Sang Gon Kim is a partner at Lee & Ko. Since joining the firm in 1994, he has concentrated his practice in general corporate and business law, focusing on mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Kim has handled a wide variety of M&A transactions in the financial and petrochemical industries. His experience in friendly takeovers includes Representation of SK Telecom in the acquisition of Hana Card in late 2009, which was the first case of consolidation between a mobile telecom business and credit card business; CJ Group (the largest cable TV program provider in Korea) in its acquisition of On Media (the second largest program provider in Korea); Citibank in its acquisition of KorAm Bank; the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation in its sale of Korea First Bank to Newbridge, LG Chem’s spin-off of its battery business division and establishment of LG Energy Solution, and Hahn & Co’s acquisition of in-flight catering and duty-free business of Korean Air.

Additionally, Mr. Kim has established his position as a leading lawyer in the field of hostile M&A, having represented parties of major hostile takeover cases in Korea, namely Karl Icahn’s takeover attempt of KT&G, Sovereign’s takeover attempt of SK Group, and KCC’s takeover attempt of Hyundai Group.

Not only that, Mr. Kim also spearheaded the trend of Korean conglomerates’ restructuring into a holding company structure through share transfers among affiliates by representing virtually all of the major conglomerates in this process, including the LG Group, SK Group and CJ Group.

Mr. Kim’s singled out by clients as being “always quick to respond to our queries, while providing an unmatched level of comprehensiveness and detail” on M&A as well as general corporate mandates.

Kim Sang Man K1 Chamber Kim Sang Man
K1 Chamber
Key practice areas: Capital markets

Kim Young Kim & Chang Kim Young
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; IP; litigation

Ko Hun Lee & Ko Ko Hun
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4358
Email: hun.ko@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Banking & finance; project finance & infrastrucrure; construction; energy-natural resources; TMT
Hun Ko is a partner in the Banking and Finance Group. He is highly recognized as one of the leading project finance lawyers in Korea. Since joining Lee & Ko in 1998, he has focused his practice in Finance with a particular emphasis on PPI projects such as toll roads, railways, port and power plants(coal, LNG, wind, solar, etc.), project finance, construction and real estate development. He represents major construction companies and financial institutions based locally and overseas.

As a result of his solid experience in his practice areas, Mr. Ko is highly regarded as an innovative lawyer who has created standard forms of various project agreements for infrastructure and construction in Korea. In addition, he has provided legal assistance for investment into Central Asia including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in the areas of both real estate and natural resource development.

As leading counsel Mr. Ko has successfully represented numerous infrastructure and project finance matters including, among others, construction companies such as: GS Engineering & Construction, Hyundai E&C, Daelim Industrial, Kumho, Samsung C&T, financial institutions such as Korea Development Bank, Woori Bank, Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Nognhyup Bank, Samsung Life Insurance, Kyobo Life Insurance, Hanwha Life Insurance and institutions for national pension or credit unions such as the National Pension Service and the Korea Teachers Credit Union.

Ko Won Seok Lee & Ko Ko Won Seok
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-2191-3047
Email: wonseok.ko@leeko.com

Key practice areas: M&A; Management rights disputes; construction; real estate; banking; family law & inheritance law
Won Seok Ko is reputed as one of the leading litigators in Korea with extensive experience. He primarily practices in finance, family law & inheritance law, general corporate and administrative litigation.

Mr. Ko received his LL.B from college of law, Seoul National University in 1984, and he also studied at Judicial Research and Training Institute, Supreme Court of Korea. He was a visiting scholar from Stanford law school from 1997 to 1998. He is a member of the Korean Bar Association, and the Seoul Bar Association.

Prior to joining Lee&Ko, Mr. Ko served as a judge in various courts, including Seoul District Court Northern Branch, Seoul Civil District Court, Seoul District Court Eastern Branch, Seoul High Court. He was also the Research Judge at Supreme Court of Korea from 1999 to 2001.

In 2002, he became a professor at Judicial Research and Training Institute, Supreme Court of Korea, where he taught civil litigation.

Kwon Jin Hong Lee & Ko Kwon Jin Hong
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4373
Email: jinhong.kwon@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Banking & finance; insurance & reinsurance; project finance; real estate; securitisation & structured finance
Jin Hong Kwon is a key senior partner in the Banking & Finance Group and the Real Estate Group while also serving as a Co-Head of the Insurance & Reinsurance Practice Group. In these roles, he specializes in the areas of insurance, project finance, real estate, and structured finance and securitization (including Asset Backed Securitization (ABS), Asset Backed Loans (ABL), and Asset Backed Commercial Paper (ABCP)), sale of non-performing loans, financial services & compliance and banking. His extensive representation of financial institutions covers major domestic and foreign insurers and reinsurers, banks, asset management companies, and others.

Over the course of the past few years and as, the Co-Head of the Insurance & Reinsurance Practice Group has counseled and continues to provide invaluable advice regarding compliance under the Insurance Business Act and its subordinate and related regulations along with management and structuring asset management programs and investments. In particular, he works on matters involving licensing and registrations; outsourcing and delegation; cross-border solicitation and transactions; data privacy related issues both onshore and offshore; contract drafting and negotiations; and other key issues involving insurance and reinsurance market participants in Korea. He is a trusted advisor for Samsung Life Insurance, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, Hyundai Marine & Insurance, ING Life, ABL Life, Chubb Life, MetLife, Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance, DB Insurance, AXA Direct, AIG, and Royal Sun Alliance, and Pacific Life Re.

In terms of real estate and other financial related work, he enjoys a strong reputation as one of the most experienced specialists in the areas of Real Estate, Project Finance and Structured Finance & Securitization.

He has proved his excellence in the area of real estate transaction by providing skillful and exemplary legal services on major real estate transactions such as purchase of the LG Twin Towers (Beijing, China), investment in the Mondrian Park Avenue Hotel (New York, USA), investment in the Boca Raton Resort & Club (Florida, USA), investment in the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa (Hawaii, USA), investment in the Cosmopolitan Hotel (Las Vegas, Nevada, USA), sale of D-Cube City (Seoul, Korea), purchase of Yeoksam Icon (Seoul, Korea), purchase of the Jongro Place (Seoul, Korea), sale of Susong Tower (Seoul, Korea), investment in the Starfield Goyang (Goyang, Korea), purchase of Y-Tower (Seoul, Korea), sale and lease back of Homeplus (Korea), sale of Majesta City Office Building (Seoul, Korea).

His project finance experience includes Salaciawaters Residence Development (Gold Coast, Australia) project finance, Dubai Bando U-BORA Towers Development (Dubai, UAE) project finance, Banyan Tree Club & Spa (Seoul, Korea) project finance, Sangam IT Tower project finance, Jeju International Convention Center Anchor Hotel project finance, Daegu Migliore Building acquisition finance and Pangyo Techno Valley project finance.

As for his structured finance & securitization experience, he has successfully worked on cross-border securitization of Samsung Card’s future receivables, cross-border securitization of Shinhan Card’s future receivables, cross-border securitization of Lotte Capital’s lease claims, securitization of Korean Air Lines’ domestic future receivables, securitization of Korean Air Lines’ overseas future receivables, securitization of TriGem’s future receivables, securitization of Young Chang’s future receivables, securitization of Samsung Card’s card receivables and securitization of account receivables arising from sales of the 9th Avenue Shopping Mall.

In the banking sphere, he consistently represents major banks including Shinhan Bank, Kookmin Bank, KEB Hana Bank and Woori Bank while also advising securities companies, credit card companies, mutual saving banks, and other financial institutions and related parties.

Mr. Kwon has also served as a foreign attorney at the solicitor firm of Stephenson Harwood in the United Kingdom.

Kwon Tae Il Kwon & Co Kwon Tae Il
Kwon & Co
Tel: + 82 2 6235 5500
Email: mail@kwonco.co.kr

Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; bankruptcy & insolvency; defence; litigation; shipping
Kwon Tae Il is renowned internationally for his wide experience and exceptional understanding of both wet and dry cases. He has handled not only collision, general average, vessel arrest, memorandum of agreement and shipbuilding disputes cases but also charter party dispute, cargo claim and crew cases on behalf of the owners, charterers of the vessel and esteemed P&I clubs including Gard, Steamship Mutual, North of England, Britannia, the Swedish Club, Standard Club, London P&I, West of England, Skuld, Japan P&I, Korea P&I and the Korean Shipowners’ Association.

He also accumulated wide experience in the rehabilitation of shipping giants in Korea like Korea Line, STX Pan Ocean and Hanjin Shipping, etc., acting for over a hundred rehabilitation creditors, and also worked with prominent English shipping law firms such as HFW, Reed Smith, CJC, Norton Rose Fulbright, MFB and Mays Brown Solicitors. Also, he has been recently instructed for huge casualty cases like the MV “Stellar Banner” case, which was finally closed by CTL for an insurance sum of USD92 million.

Previous cases:

  • Consulted IG clubs for their members’ cargo claim, insolvency matters, time charter disputes and wet cases and received good outcomes.
  • Consulted prominent domestic and international shipping companies such as SK Shipping, Hyundai Glovis, HMM, EUKOR Car Carriers and Sinokor in litigation proceedings involving the defence of the cargo claim, collision case, crew matters and time-charter party disputes.
  • Collaborated with HFW, Reed Smith, CJC, Norton Rose Fulbright, Hill Dickinson, MFB, Penningtons Manches Cooper and Mays Brown et al in UK and Okabe & Yamaguchi in Japan to provide legal opinions for domestic litigation, international arbitration and rehabilitation and bankruptcy proceedings in relation to shipping dispute and insolvency issues.
  • Acted for an Indonesian coal company (PT Limas Tunggal) against Korean Power companies for the claim amount of USD17 million.
  • Acted for Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance and Korean Reinsurance Company in the largest casualty, MV “Stellar Banner” case in 2020.

Education

Tae Il Kwon received his LLM maritime law degree (with merits) in December 2017 at the University of Southampton, UK, broadening his knowledge in English maritime law and marine insurance law to build up his expertise, and providing guidance to the associates to promote and develop the performance quality of the team.

Kwon Tae Il graduated from the department of Economics at Seoul National University in 1992 and Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Korean Supreme Court in 2000.

Publications

  • “The Financial Conduct Authority (Appellant) v Arch Insurance(UK) Ltd and others (Respondents) [2021] UKSC 1”, the Korean Maritime Law Association Archives (the Korean Maritime Law Association), May 2021
  • “Subrogation against co-insured under English law”, the Korean Maritime Law Association Archives (the Korean Maritime Law Association), November 2017
  • “A Study on Judicial Precedents of Korea and Foreign Jurisdiction Regarding Oil Pollution Damages”, Research commissioned by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, March 2008
  • “Commercial Code Cases” (Published by Hanul)

Award

Kwon Tae Il was awarded “Leading Lawyer 100 Asia Pacific” by Lawyer Monthly in 2011 and also has been recommended as a Leading Lawyer in Shipping by Chambers Asia-Pacific since 2013. He has been selected as Leading Individual in Shipping by Legal 500 since 2014 and listed as Korea’s Top 100 lawyers by Asia Business Law Journal in 2021 and 2022.

Kwon Taeck Soo Bae Kim & Lee Kwon Taeck Soo
Bae Kim & Lee
Key practice areas: IP; litigation; entertainment, sports & game

Kwon Youngmo Lee & Ko Kwon Youngmo
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4446
Email: youngmo.kwon@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Healthcare & life science; IP strategy consulting; trade secret & company information protection; chemical; IP litigation
Young Mo Kwon, a partner at Lee & Ko, is recognized as one of the leading IP trial lawyers in Korea with a wealth of experience to back his reputation and a solid technical background making him more unique and distinctive among other IP practitioners. Since starting his practice in 1987, he has focused on the enforcement of IP rights with a particular emphasis on patents and technology licensing.

His extensive representation of multinational and domestic corporations covers all major technical fields including electrical, mechanical, chemical, pharmaceutical, bio, computer and other industries. Most notably, he successfully defended one of the largest Korean conglomerates in a landmark case, initiated by a global corporation (in Korea and in the U.S.) alleging infringement of a patent for polyester tire code. In addition, he successfully defended one of the largest biogenetics company in a claim of infringement of a genetic engineering patents for BGH, which is the first biogenetics case ever filed before Korean courts. His success record continues with his defense of the largest corporate group in Korea in a claim of infringement of a patent for a drilling ship device for multi-tasking exploratory or developmental drilling and his defense of a medium-sized Korean company in a multi-jurisdictional patent litigation brought by a global semiconductor probe card manufacturer in connection with semiconductor probe card assembly, where his victory created favorable outcome in other jurisdictions.

He has been awarded with many accolades in Chambers Asia, Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, AsiaLaw and Who’s Who Legal for his involvement in many of Korea’s most critical precedents and notable cases.

Lee Daniel DLA Piper Daniel Lee
DLA Piper
Key practice areas: Cross-border M&A; international joint ventures; foreign direct investment; international arbitration

Lee Eui-Hoon C&S Patent & Law Office Lee Eui-Hoon
C&S Patent & Law Office
Key practice areas: Patent; trademark

Lee Haeng Gyu Jipyong Lee Haeng Gyu
Jipyong
Key practice areas: Capital markets; corporate governance; M&A; private equity, venture capital & funds

Lee Hoin Kim & Chang Lee Hoin
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Banking & finance; capital markets; compliance; labour & employment; securitisation & structured finance

Lee Hyeong Gun Lee & Ko Lee Hyeong Gun
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4379
Email: hyeonggun.lee@leeko.com

Key practice areas: M&A
Hyeong Gun Lee is a partner at Lee & Ko. His practice is primarily focused on general corporate and business laws, especially mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Lee & Ko in 1994, he worked as a foreign associate at McDermott, Will & Emery in New York and Sinclair Roche & Temperley in London.

Mr. Lee has handled a wide variety of M&A transactions including public and private company mergers, stock purchases and asset sales. He has also represented clients in a number of joint ventures. Some of his representative clients include Ford, GE, Hana Financial Group, Mars Incorporated, Hanwha Group, Korea Development Bank, and LG Group.
Mr. Lee holds an LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law and an LL.B. from Seoul National University. He is admitted to the Korean and New York State Bars.

 

Lee Kyu Wha Lee & Ko Lee Kyu Wha
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4321
Email: kyuwha.lee@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Corporate; M&A; foreign investment; outbound investment; hostile takeovers & defence
Kyu Wha Lee is a senior partner and the head of the Corporate and M&A Groups at Lee & Ko. Mr. Lee has over twenty years of experience in representing both Korean and multinational companies in corporate and M&A matters and brings wealth of experience in all areas of corporate and business laws including, but not limited to, the sale and purchase of business and property, M&A transactions, establishment and representation of various types of corporate entities (including joint ventures and partnerships), restructuring, foreign direct investment, overseas investment, labor, and fair trade.

A few of the notable cases Mr. Lee has handled include the representation of acquisition of minority shares in Hyundai Oilbank by Saudi Aramco, representation of Siemens Group with its acquisition of shares in Hyundai Autonet and Bontec, representation of The Boeing Company with its acquisition of shares in Huneed Technologies, representation of Munich Reinsurance Company with its acquisition of Daum Direct Auto Insurance Co., Ltd., representation of Korea Development Bank with its sale of a majority interest in Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, representation of Hanjin Group with its acquisition of treasury stock in S-Oil, and representation of Ford Motor Company with its acquisition of Daewoo Motor Company.

Lee Kyung Don Shin & Kim Lee Kyung Don
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: Real estate; construction; asset financing; M&A; foreign investments (inbound & outbound)

Lee Sang Hoon Lee & Ko Lee Sang Hoon
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4345
Email: sanghoon.lee@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Labour & employment; employment litigation
Mr. Sang Hoon Lee is the head of Lee & Ko’s Employment and Labor Practice Group, and renowned international legal publications such as AsiaLaw, Chambers Asia, Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal have consistently recognized Mr. Lee as one of the top employment and labor lawyers in Korea.

With over 25 years of experience, Mr. Lee has a proven track record of providing effective and practical advice to clients regarding the full range of matters involving the Korean employment and labor laws. Mr. Lee has advised clients on matters regarding both individual employment relationships (e.g., employment agreements, termination, wages, etc.) and collective labor relationships (e.g., collective bargaining agreements, strikes, crisis management, etc.). He has also successfully represented many multinational and domestic clients in matters pertaining to employment agreements, changes to work rules, sexual harassment investigations, employment discrimination litigations, general compliance matters, employee discipline and terminations, layoffs, wage and hours, leaves, severance pay, pension and benefit, non-competition, employee privacy, temporary or dispatched worker, unjust labor practice, labor unions relations, employee transfers, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate restructuring. For example, in Samsung’s sale of its HDD business (valued at US$ 1.5 billion) to Seagate, Mr. Lee was appointed by Samsung Electronics as its sole advisor for HR-related issues and contributed to the successful completion of the deal. Mr. Lee also played a key role in the successful injection of US$ 4 billion of government funds by the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation (“KDIC”) into six Korean banks during the Asian financial crisis in 2000. During negotiations among the KDIC, the banks and the labor union regarding the issues of restructuring and employee withdrawal from the union, he provided various legal advice to the KDIC, which enabled injection of government funds and revived Korean banks.

Sang Hoon Lee heads the department and wins plaudits for his work in ordinary wage disputes, workforce reductions, employment matters relating to corporate transactions and internal investigations.”top expert in Korean labour law” who is “not only knowledgeable in the field of employment but also very client-friendly.” He assisted the newly established Mydyer Korea with a number of employment issues, including the structuring of its HR department and employee engagement procedures, including the drafting of its employment agreements.”- Chambers and Partners, 2018

Lee Tong-Gun Shin & Kim Lee Tong-Gun
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: M&A; private equity; foreign investments (inbound & outbound); restructuring & insolvency; management disputes & hostile M&A

Lee Young-Ku Shin & Kim Lee Young-Ku
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: Restructuring & insolvency; bankruptcy & restructuring disputes; insurance disputes; finance disputes; management disputes & hostile M&A

Lim Sean (Sungwoo) Lee & Ko Sean (Sungwoo) Lim
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-2191-3008
Email: sean.lim@leeko.com

Key practice areas: International arbitration; international litigation
Sean (Sungwoo) Lim is the co-head of the International Arbitration Practice Group at Lee & Ko.

Sean served as an inaugural member of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Court of Arbitration amidst the 16 most prestigious arbitration practitioners around the world. He also served as Secretary General of the Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group (APRAG). Recently, he was selected as a member of the International Advisory Board of the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC).

Domestically, Sean has acted as the Chairman of the foreign relations committee at the Seoul International Dispute Resolution Center (IDRC), part of the IRDC’s worldwide network. He also served as vice president of the Korean Arbitrators Association (KAA). He is currently the president of the Korean Council for International Arbitration (KOCIA); director of ICC Korea; president of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB) sports arbitration committee; and member of the KCAB international arbitration committee.

In addition to his many years of experience conducting arbitration cases seated in various jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, London, Singapore, and New York, Sean has led many high-profile cases that have set major precedents in Korea. He is currently working on two investment treaty arbitration cases brought against the Republic of Korea.

With decades of experience in leading complex multinational disputes, he has been consistently recognised as a leading practitioner in the area of international arbitration by various legal publications including Legal 500, Chambers & Partners and Asialaw. He is the only leading Korean practitioner who participated in all three major active projects related to arbitration practice in Korea: the Law Reform Commission for Amendments to the Korean Arbitration Act; the Law Reform Commission for Amendments to the Korean Arbitration Rules; and the Law Enactment Commission for Enactment of the Commercial Arbitration Promotion Act.

Based on his decades of work in this field, Sean received an award in 2017 from the Ministry of Justice for his long-standing contribution to the development of commercial arbitration in South Korea. He was also selected as a “Dispute Resolution Star” for international arbitration by Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific in 2019 and was recognised as “International Arbitration Practitioner of the Year” by Legal Times in 2018.

Sean holds degrees from Seoul National University College of Law (LLB) and Cornell Law School (LLM). He is licensed to practise in Korea and New York. He recently published International Arbitration, still the only Korean treatise solely dedicated to international arbitration. His book has received wide acclaim from academics and practitioners alike both nationally and abroad. In addition, Sean served as an adjunct professor at the Seoul National University School of Law where he taught international arbitration.

Lim Seung Soon Yoon & Yang Lim Seung Soon
Yoon & Yang
Key practice areas: Tax; family business succession; tax litigation & dispute

Moon Il Bong Yulchon Moon Il Bong
Yulchon
Key practice areas: Asset management; information communication dispute; financial regulation disputes; bankruptcy & rehabilitation disputes; labour & employment disputes

Nahm Hohyun Barun IP & Law Nahm Hohyun
Barun IP & Law
Key practice areas: IP

Oh Hyunjoo Lee & Ko Oh Hyunjoo
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4690
Email: hyunjoo.oh@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Capital markets; banking; asset management; securities; derivatives
Hyunjoo Oh is a leading partner in the Capital Markets Group. She is an expert in the areas of securities, derivatives, capital market licenses, capital market legal compliance issues, foreign exchange regulations and the resolution of disputes in capital markets.

Ms. Oh has represented the most prestigious corporations, banks and financial institutions and earned a reputation as a brilliant negotiator and strategist in deal structuring. Chambers of Asia and Asialaw named Ms. Oh a leading lawyer in the area of Capital Markets.

During the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, Ms. Oh acted as the sole legal counsel to the Bank of Korea for its bilateral currency swap arrangement with the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank (2008) and its multilateral currency swap arrangement with the central banks and finance ministries of ASEAN countries, China and Japan (2009). For her distinguished service to the country, she was honored with official commendations from the Minister of Strategy and Finance on December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

Having advised on the issuance of Korean sovereign bonds, the first issuance of non-Korean CD, the first-ever issuance of synthetic exchangeable bonds and redeemable convertible preferred shares in Korea, Ms. Oh has been in the forefront of the debt capital market. She is recognized for her ability to structure complex transactions, such as those involving dual currency bonds, going-public bonds and option stripping of synthetic securities.

During the mid-2000s when Korean companies were actively raising capital overseas by issuing equity-related bonds such as convertible bonds, exchangeable bonds and bonds with warrants, Lee & Ko’s Securities & Capital Markets Group consistently recorded the largest market share among Korean legal counsel in deals involving equity-related bonds. In the field of capital market compliance, Lee & Ko has advised both domestic and foreign financial institutions and helped them minimizing legal risk while maximizing business opportunities.

Ms. Oh represented various local financial institutions and companies in relation to the termination of their derivatives transactions with Lehman Brother entities. She also represented major Korean banks in high-profile litigations involving their KIKO contracts with local export-import companies. As a leading authority in the area of derivatives and on behalf of the Korea Options, Swaps & Derivatives Association and the Korea Federation of Banks, she has drafted the Korean standard forms for derivatives transactions. She has engaged in various ISDA negotiations and documentations and advised a number of multinational clients in relation to structuring of derivatives products, including equity options and CLN/CDS/DLS. In addition, she has conducted compliance checks and obtained foreign exchange approvals for derivatives products.

Ms. Oh has been an active participant at ISDA conferences representing Lee & Ko as a member firm of the ISDA. She is contributing her knowledge to the industry as an advisory member of the Financial Advisory Committee at the Financial Supervisory Service, an expert member of the Financial Disputes Mediation Committee at the Financial Supervisory Service, and a member of Advertisement Review Committee at Korea Financial Investment Association.

Oh Jong-Han Shin & Kim Oh Jong-Han
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: Capital markets; corporate governance; litigation; shareholders’ disputes; financial regulation & disputes

Oh Keumseok Bae Kim & Lee Oh Keumseok
Bae Kim & Lee
Key practice areas: Competition & antitrust; compliance; corporate & commercial; litigation; corporate governance

Pak Hyunju Helen Shin & Kim Pak Hyunju Helen
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: Project finance, asset financing, real estate, private equity

Park Eun Young Park Arbtration Chambers Park Eun Young
Park Arbtration Chambers
Key practice areas: Anti-corruption & anti-bribery; arbitration & ADR; international trade & bilateral investment treaties; joint ventures; litigation

Park Ghyo-Sun Shin & Kim Park Ghyo-Sun
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: Product liability; patents, designs & trademarks; unfair competition &trade secrets; copyrights & entertainment; licensing & franchising

Park Jong Koo Kim & Chang Park Jong Koo
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Corporate & commercial; corporate governance; joint ventures; M&A; private equity, venture capital & funds

Park Kwang Bae Lee & Ko Park Kwang Bae
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4343
Email: kwangbae.park@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Startups; data privacy & cybersecurity; technology, media & telecommunications; data protection; litigation
Kwang Bae PARK is a partner and leader of the technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) group at Lee & Ko. He has consistently represented and advised the various telecommunications and IT companies for more than 15 years, with the focus on various issues in the field of all TMT areas, including mobile, fixed and satellite services, and regulatory issues in the internet services, such as issues on privacy, internet contents, and internet advertisement.

Park Sang Hoon Yoon & Yang Park Sang Hoon
Yoon & Yang
Key practice areas: Employment & labour; legislative consulting & government relations; eminent domain & reconstruction & redevelopment; constitutional disputes; administrative litigation

Park Sang-Ki Nam & Nam Park Sang-Ki
Nam & Nam
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; licensing & franchising; IP; litigation; real estate

Park Yong Seok Lee & Ko Park Yong Seok
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-772-4930
Email: yongseok.park@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Corporate; banking; securities; tax litigation; customs
Yong Seok Park served as a public prosecutor for 28 years, until August 2011. During his career, he specialized in special investigation. His positions include: Chief, Deputy and Researcher of the Central Investigation Unit at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, Chief of the Special Investigation Team at the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office and General Prosecutor of the Special Investigation Teams in multiple districts.

As a representative partner at Lee & Ko, Mr. Park takes charge of criminal cases regarding Corporate, International transactions, Finance, Fair Trade and Trade Secret. In 2015, he was once selected as one of the best criminal lawyers by Chambers & Partners a global legal publisher providing legal market assessment.

Rim Chiyong Kim & Chang Rim Chiyong
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Bankruptcy & insolvency

Ro Young Jay Kim & Chang Ro Young Jay
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Capital markets; inbound investment; joint ventures; private equity, venture capital & funds

Seo Dongwoo Bae Kim & Lee Seo Dongwoo
Bae Kim & Lee
Key practice areas: M&A; inbound investment; outbound investment; corporate governance; private equity, venture capital & funds

Son Won C&S Patent & Law Office Son Won
C&S Patent & Law Office
Key practice areas: Patent; trademark

Song Joo-Hyun You Me Patent & Law Firm Song Joo-Hyun
You Me Patent & Law Firm
Key practice areas: IP prosecution & litigation

Wachter Robert Lee & Ko Robert Wachter
Lee & Ko
Tel: +82-2-6386-6241
Email: robert.wachter@leeko.com

Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; international trade & bilateral investment treaties; international arbitration
Robert Wachter is co-head of the International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation Group at Lee & Ko. He has acted as counsel, arbitrator or arbitral secretary in more than 100 international arbitration cases over the last 10 years brought under all of the major arbitration rules, including the ICC, KCAB, VIAC, Swiss Chambers, SIAC, LCIA, SCC, JCAA and UNCITRAL arbitration rules.

Mr. Wachter has lectured as an adjunct professor at Seoul National University School of Law, the Supreme Court of Korea (Judicial Research and Training Institute), and Ewha Womans University. He also regularly participates in conferences and seminars on international arbitration. He has published various academic articles about international arbitration and Korean law.

Mr. Wachter has been recognized as a leading practitioner by Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal, and Who’s Who-Thought Leaders.

Yang Jay (Young-June) Kim & Chang Jay (Young-June) Yang
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Competition & antitrust; data protection; IP; licensing & franchising; litigation

Yeom Yong Pyo Yulchon Yeom Yong Pyo
Yulchon
Key practice areas: Sports & entertainment disputes; environment & energy disputes; healthcare disputes; product liability & consumer claims

Yim Young Chul Shin & Kim Yim Young Chul
Shin & Kim
Key practice areas: Cartels; excessive concentration of economic power; merger filings; abuse of market dominance; unfair trade practice

Yoo Kook Hyun Kim & Chang Yoo Kook Hyun
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Anti-corruption & anti-bribery; compliance; data protection; defence; white-collar crime

Yoon Byung-Chol Kim & Chang Yoon Byung-Chol
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; banking & finance; joint ventures; M&A; private equity, venture capital & funds

Yoon Hee Woong Yulchon Yoon Hee Woong
Yulchon
Key practice areas: Corporate & finance; banking & general finance; fund & PE; financial regulation; M&A; corporate governance

Yoon Hi Sun Kim & Chang Yoon Hi Sun
Kim & Chang
Key practice areas: Banking & finance; bankruptcy & insolvency; private equity, venture capital & funds; project finance; restructuring & insolvency

Yoon Hoil Yoon & Yang Yoon Hoil
Yoon & Yang
Key practice areas: Competition & antitrust; compliance; corporate & commercial; M&A, technology, media & telecommunications

Yun Sai Ree Yulchon Yun Sai Ree
Yulchon
Key practice areas: Corporate Law (with an emphasis on M&A); taxation; mobility; antitrust & competition; governmental relations

Yun Seong Un Bae Kim & Lee Yun Seong Un
Bae Kim & Lee
Key practice areas: Competition & antitrust; litigation; compliance; corporate & commercial; corporate governance

Yuu Ben (beyong-ho) Nam & Nam Ben Yuu
Nam & Nam
Key practice areas: Arbitration & ADR; IP; licensing & franchising; litigation; technology, media & telecommunications,
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