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Senior Foreign Attorney

Sungmee HONG

Mergers & Acquisitions

Recently reviewed Professionals
Sungmee Hong, a foreign-qualified attorney (California, U.S.), is a cross-border transactions specialist who joined Lee & Ko in 1999. She advises domestic and international clients on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), outbound and inbound investments, corporate governance, and corporate restructuring. She is particularly recognized for her strong track record among Korean law firms in advising on investment structuring, joint ventures, local M&A, and corporate governance matters across Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Vietnam, as well as Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Since 2017, she has headed Lee & Ko’s Vietnam Practice Group, overseeing major investment projects and the market entry of leading Korean companies into Vietnam. Drawing on her extensive cross-border experience and deep understanding of local legal practice, she provides comprehensive and strategic advice throughout all stages of a transaction, from contract negotiations through closing.
Representative Matters
[Banking and Financial Sector M&A]
Advised major Korean commercial banks in their attempted acquisitions of micro-finance institutions in Cambodia
Advised Woori Bank in its acquisition of Wealth Development Bank in the Philippines
Advised a major Korean commercial bank in its attempted acquisition of minority stakes in a publicly listed commercial bank in the Philippines
Advised Shinhan Capital in its acquisition of a securities company in Indonesia and subsequent exit from the investment
Advised several major Korean banks and securities companies with regard to M&A and NPL trading in Vietnam
[M&A Experience in Other Sectors]
Advised GS Home Shopping's joint venture project in Indonesia
Advised Lotte in the investment and launch of duty-free businesses in the Thailand and Vietnam
Advised a major corporation in its attempted acquisition of controlling stake in a publicly listed logistics company in Vietnam
Advised E-mart in its joint venture project in the hypermarket business in Mongol
Advised Key Safety Systems in its acquisition of Image-Next
Advised eBay's investments into Hellomarket
Advised LG Household and Health Care's joint venture projects in China
Advised THE FACE SHOP's joint venture projects in China
Advised Shinsegae in the joint venture with a foreign investor for Hanam Square project and Shinsegae Dongdaegu CTC (Transportation Hub) project
Advised SK in its joint venture project with Nippon Oil in Ulsan Complex
Advised Lotte Chilsung in the joint venture project with Asahi Beverage
Advised LG Electronics in the multi-jurisdictional restructuring project with Hitachi
Advised CJ E&M in the multi-jurisdictional restructuring project with FOX
Advised CJ O Shopping in its acquisition of OnMedia Corporation
Advised Lotteria in the acquisition of Burger King Japan
Advised LG Household and Health Care in the acquisition of Haitai Beverage
Advised Leoni Bordnetz-Systeme GmbH in its acquisition of shares in DLS and Daekyung T&G
Advised Goldman Sachs Asset Management in its acquisition of shares in Macquarie-IMM Investment Management
Advised ERGO International AG in its acquisition of shares in Daum Direct Auto Insurance
Advised TJ Media in its acquisition of DREAM SAS
Advised Hanjin in the joint venture project with Central Asian Trans in Uzbekistan
Advised Hanwha Chemical Corporation in the joint venture projects in Saudi Arabia with Sipchem
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Education
1998 Whittier School of Law - J.D.
1993 University of California, Irvine - B.A. in Psychology
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Work Experience
1999-Present Lee & Ko
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Admissions & Qualifications
1998 Admitted to the California State Bar
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Languages
English and Korean
Awards & Recognitions
2025 selected as 'Notable Practitioner' (Restructuring and insolvency, M&A) by IFLR1000
2024 selected as 'Notable Practitioner' (Restructuring and insolvency, M&A) by IFLR1000
2023 selected as 'Notable Practitioner' (Restructuring and insolvency, M&A) by IFLR1000
2022 selected as 'Notable Practitioner' (Restructuring and insolvency, M&A) by IFLR1000
2021 selected as 'Notable Practitioner' (Restructuring and insolvency, M&A) by IFLR1000
2020 selected as 'Notable Practitioner' (Restructuring and insolvency, M&A) by IFLR1000
2019 selected as 'Notable Practitioner' (Restructuring and insolvency, M&A) by IFLR1000
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