Partner
TEL |
+82-2-6386-6212 |
E-MAIL |
eyp@leeko.com |
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Eun Young Park is a partner and the firm’s Chair of the Global Disputes Group as well as Co-Head of International Arbitration.
Dr. Eun Young Park is a highly esteemed arbitration practitioner in Korea, widely regarded as one of the founding figures of the country’s arbitration practice. With more than 30 years of experience in international disputes, including commercial and investment treaty arbitration, he has established himself as one of the foremost authorities in international arbitration in Korea and around the world.
Dr. Park’s track record stands out for both its breadth and significance. Most notably, he successfully represented one of the largest U.S. defense companies in a litigation against the Korean government regarding foreign military sales (FMS) contracts at the Korean courts, advocating on behalf of the client before the Korean Supreme Court and the U.S. federal courts, which led complete victory to his client. Both in his capacity as an arbitrator and counsel, Dr. Park has handled cases covering a broad range of industry sectors, including M&A, finance and insurance, infrastructure, energy, joint ventures, intellectual property, technology, pharmaceutical matters, and overseas investments, under the rules of various arbitral institutions such as ICC, SIAC, JCAA, AIAC, and KCAB. He regularly sits as a co-arbitrator and a presiding arbitrator in high stake arbitration cases including USD 2 billion disputes.
Dr. Park’s leadership has been well recognized by the international arbitration community. After being appointed as a Court Member of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) in 2012, Dr. Park served as the President of the LCIA Asia Pacific Users’ Council and Vice-President of the LCIA Court. He also served as the Vice-Chair of the International Bar Association (IBA) Arbitration Committee and as the inaugural Co-Chair of the IBA Asia Pacific Arbitration Practice Group. In 2014, he served as a member of the Subcommittee for drafting the IBA Guidelines on Conflict of Interests in International Arbitration. Dr. Park was also a board member of the Korean Council of International Arbitration and an Executive Member of the Seoul International Dispute Resolution Center. He recently retired from the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Court of Arbitration where he served as a Court Member for 10 years.
He currently serves as a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR.
Dr. Park has earned numerous top rankings in the arbitration community. Among others, he has repeatedly been recognized as one of the “Leading Lawyers” in Chambers Asia-Pacific for International Arbitration, “Litigation Stars” in Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific for International Arbitration, and “Thought Leaders” in Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration. Notably, according to Chambers Asia Pacific 2021, he was recognized as “a titan of the Korean arbitration Bar, with a fearsome reputation that precedes him.” In 2024, Dr. Park was also recognized in a GAR article by one commentator as “tactically astute and indefatigable in championing his clients’ interests.” He was also awarded “Eminent Practitioner” by Chambers Global for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration in 2022, and Legal 500 listed him as “Leading Individual” in International Arbitration from the years 2014 to 2023.
Dr. Park was also awarded the title “Best Lawyers” by Chosun Biz in April 2022. He was also awarded the Grand Prize Award in Arbitration Practice at the Annual Korea Legal Awards in June 2020, which was co-hosted by the Korean media platform Money Today and the Korea In-house Counsel Association, for his innovative approach to arbitration and for his public contributions in the field. In 2018, the Republic of Korea officially honored him in recognition of his contribution to the promotion of arbitration.
Dr. Park has also contributed to the field of international arbitration through his works as an author in multiple publications, including “Appellate Review in Investor-State Arbitration, Reshaping the Investor-State Dispute Settlement System: Journeys for the 21st Century,” in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of ICSID Convention; “Legal Defenses to Claims” in The Investment Treaty Arbitration Review; and “Tackling Diverse Issues in Arbitration Agreement: Focusing on M&A, Finance, Distributorship, Technology, and Construction” in the Korea Arbitration Review. He also co-authored the book “Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods around the Globe.”
He has also written numerous articles on various arbitration-related topics, including emergency arbitration, interim relief, and document disclosure.
Education
2003 |
New York University, School of Law – J.S.D. |
2000 |
New York University, School of Law – LL.M. |
1998 |
Seoul National University, Graduate School of Law – Jur.M. |
1988 |
Seoul National University, College of Law – LL.B. |
Work Experience
2024-Present |
Lee & Ko |
2022-2024 |
Park Arbitration Chambers |
1997-2022 |
Kim & Chang |
1996 |
Judge, The West Branch Court of Seoul District Court |
1994-1996 |
Judge, Seoul District Court |
1991-1994 |
Judge Advocate, Ministry of National Defense |
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- Current Positions |
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Member, ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR |
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Arbitrator, Asian International Arbitration Centre |
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Arbitrator, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre |
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Arbitrator, Dubai International Arbitration Centre |
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Member, Board of Trustees, Foundation for International Arbitration Advocacy |
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Arbitrator, Singapore International Arbitration Centre |
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Arbitrator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board |
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- Past Positions |
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Member, Governing Council, International Arbitration & Mediation Centre |
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Chair, SIAC Users Council South Korea National Committee |
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Member, SIAC Court of Arbitration |
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Vice-President, LCIA Court |
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Executive Member, Seoul International Dispute Resolution Center |
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Member, Board of Directors, SIAC |
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President, LCIA Asia Pacific User’s Council |
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Vice-Chair, IBA Arbitration Committee |
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Inaugural Co-Chair, IBA Pacific Arbitration Group |
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Court Member, LCIA Court |
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Adjunct Professor of Law, Sungkyunkwan University Law School |
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Member, ICSID Panel of Conciliators, World Bank |
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Member, International Arbitration Committee, ICC Korea |
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Member, Insurance Evaluation Committee, Financial Supervisory Commission |
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Legal Advisor, Restructuring Task Force, Financial Supervisory Commission |
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Legal Advisor, Korean Delegation for Negotiation of OECD Convention Against International Corruption |
Expertise
Litigation & Arbitration |
International Arbitration |
International Litigation |
International Trade |
Anti-corruption |
Financial Disputes |
Outbound Investment |
Admissions & Qualifications
Admitted to bar, Korea(1991) |
Admitted to bar, New York(2003) |
Languages
Representative Cases
[Mergers and Acquisitions]
- ICC arbitration for a Korean company against a multinational company involving a dispute over M&A transactions, seated in London.
- ICC arbitration for a European investor relating to a post-M&A share purchase agreement dispute. ICC arbitration for a Korean company against a multinational consortium concerning M&A disputes.
- ICC arbitration for a global manufacturer acquired by a major US automotive company, seated in Paris.
- SIAC arbitration for a US fund in a dispute involving options and shareholders rights with regard to an insurance company.
[Construction, Engineering, Energy & Infrastructure]
- Presiding arbitrator in KLRCA arbitration between an Asian energy company and a Malaysian government-controlled company, seated in Kuala Lumpur.
- Co-Arbitrator in KCAB arbitration between government entity and a European company in energy disputes.
- Co-Arbitrator in SIAC Arbitration regarding renewable energy disputes
- Ad hoc arbitration under the Indian Arbitration Act for an Indian company in power plant engineering disputes, seated in Mumbai.
- LCIA arbitration for Saudi Arabian and Korean Consortium companies against a Middle Eastern company. ICC arbitration for a German company against a UAE company involving engineering disputes.
- ICC arbitration for a Luxembourg company against a Korean company over a dispute related to infrastructure. ICC arbitration for a European company against Dubai and Indian companies in relation to a power generating facility, seated in London.
- KCAB arbitration for a US company against a Korean government controlled corporation.
- KCAB arbitration for a US company regarding design, development and supply of equipment for the control system of a nuclear power plant.
- Arbitration at the Court of Arbitration at the Polish Chamber of Commerce for a Korean company in a dispute between Consortium members against a European government entity related to infrastructure construction.
[Joint Venture Disputes]
- Presiding arbitrator in KCAB arbitration between Korean companies and Chinese parties.
- ICC arbitration for a Korean company in a dispute over interpretation and performance of a joint venture agreement and related contracts.
- ICC arbitration for a major Korean company against multiple Latin American companies involving a joint venture dispute. (One of the largest Latin American arbitrations conducted under ICC rules.)
- ICC arbitration for a Korean company against US petrochemical companies in a joint venture dispute.
[Supply Agreements and Distributorship]
- Presiding arbitrator in SIAC arbitration between a Chinese company and a British Virgin Islands company. Presiding arbitrator in SIAC arbitration between a Hong Kong company and a British Virgin Islands company. Co-arbitrator in KCAB arbitration between a Korean company and a Turkish company.
- ICC arbitration for a French company against a Korean government corporation related to a long-term supply agreement.
[Pharmaceutical and Bio Industry]
- Presiding arbitrator in ICC arbitration regarding development and manufacturing disputes with regard to medical issues
- ICC arbitration for a Korean life science company against European companies regarding a project to co-develop and market pharmaceutical products.
- ICC arbitration for a Korean bio-logics company against a US pharmaceutical company with regard to pharmaceutical products.
[IP/License Agreement]
- Co-arbitrator in KCAB arbitration between a Korean company and an Austrian company.
- SIAC arbitration for a Korean company against an Asian company involving a patent dispute.
- ICC arbitration for a Korean software company regarding a license agreement, seated in Singapore.
- ICC and related emergency arbitration proceedings for a Korean engineering company against a European company involving an IP-related dispute.
[Financial/Insurance Arbitration]
- Ad hoc arbitration for a Japanese company against multiple insurance companies involving an energy dispute.
- Two ad-hoc arbitrations for a North American company against multiple insurance companies related to a nuclear power plant dispute.
- SIAC arbitration for a US party against Korean insurance company related to equity investment in financial institutions.
- ICC arbitration for an Asian company involved in internet-related businesses and investments.
[Investments]
- ICSID arbitration for the Korean government in relation to claims filed concerning tax treatment under the Korea Netherlands Avoidance of Double Taxation Treaty.
- Acted for a foreign investor against China regarding breach of the Barbados-China BIT. Acted for a Korean investor against China in a dispute under the Korea-China BIT. Acted for a Korean company against Poland in a dispute under the Korea-Poland BIT
- Acted for a Korean investor against India regarding forfeiture of investment approval under the Korea-India BIT. Advised a Korean investor in a dispute against the Azerbaijani government under the Korea-Azerbaijan BIT.
Awards & Recognitions
2025 |
Bechmark Litigation: International Arbitration, Litigation Star |
2022 |
Asialaw Profiles: Dispute Resolution, Distinguished Practitioner |
2022 |
Chambers Global, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, Eminent Practitioner |
2022 |
Chambers Asia-Pacific, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, Eminent practitioner |
2021 |
Who’s Who Legal: Construction, Leading Lawyer |
2021-2022 |
Who’s Who Legal: Investigations, Leading Lawyer |
2022 |
Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Business Crime Defence & Investigations, Leading Lawyer |
2021 |
Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Construction & Real Estate, Leading Lawyer |
2021-2022 |
Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Arbitration, Leading Lawyer |
2021 |
Asia Business Law Journal, The A-List: Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers |
2021-2022 |
Asialaw Leading Lawyers: Dispute Resolution, Leading Lawyer |
2020-2021 |
Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration, Litigation Star |
2018-2019 |
Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration, Dispute Resolution Star |
2018 |
Letter of Commendation by the Minister of Justice of Republic of Korea |
2017 |
Who’s Who Legal: Litigation, Leading Lawyer |
2017 |
Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration, Thought Leaders |
2017 |
Asialaw Leading Lawyers: Dispute Resolution & Litigation, Market-Leading Lawyer |
2015 |
Who’s Who Legal: Construction, World’s Leading Lawyer |
2015 |
Who’s Who Legal: Investigations & Who’s Who Legal Compendium Edition & Global Investigations Review, World’s Leading Lawyer |
2015 |
Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration, World’s Leading Practitioner |
2014-2023 |
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific: International Arbitration, Leading Individual |
2014-2016 |
Asialaw Leading Lawyers: Dispute Resolution & Litigation, Leading Lawyer |
2014-2015 |
Who’s Who Legal: Business Crime Defence, World’s Leading Lawyer |
2010-2021 |
Chambers Global, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, Leading Individual |
2010-2022 |
Chambers Asia-Pacific, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, Leading Individual |
2009-2022 |
Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration, Leading Lawyer |
2008-2014 |
The International Who’s Who of Commercial Arbitration, Global Arbitration Review (Legal Business Research) |
Publications / Presentations / ETC
- [Publications]
- Legal Defences to Claims, The Investment Treaty Arbitration Review (Edition 6) (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2021)
- Tackling Diverse Issues in Arbitration Agreement: Focusing on M&A, Finance, Distributorship, Technology, and Construction, Korea Arbitration Review (Issue 12) (Co-author, KCAB International, 2021)
- Chambers Global Practice Guide: International Arbitration - South Korea Chapter (Co-author, Chambers and Partners, 2019)
- Rush to Judgment: Speed v Fairness in Emergency Arbitration, Asian Dispute Review (Co-author, HKIAC, October 2016)
- Appellate Review in Investor State Arbitration, Reshaping the Investor-State Dispute Settlement System: Journeys for the 21st Century (Brill Nijhoff, January 2015)
- Korea, Interim Measures in International Arbitration (Co-author, Interim Measures in International Arbitration, June 2014)
- Appellate Review in Investor State Arbitration, Reform of Investor-State Dispute Settlement: In Search of A Roadmap TDM 1 (2014)
- Reconfirming continued support for the autonomy of arbitrations: recent developments in Korea (Co-author, Arbitration News - Newsletter of the International Bar Association Legal Practice Division Vol. 16 No. 1, March 2011)
- The Analysis of lran Sanctions Act of the U.S. and the Strategy of Overseas Construction Project (Ministry of Land, Transportation, and Marine Affairs, November 2010)
- Recent Trend of lnternational Anti-Corruption Enforcement Regime and Its Implication to Korean Legal System, The Korean Bar Association News, Vol No. 295 (January 2010)
- The Defense of State of Necessity in International Investment Disputes, International Investment Dispute Vol. III (Co-author, The Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, 2009)
- Getting the Deal Through - Anti-Corruption: Korea Chapter (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2008)
- Arbitration in South Korea, International Arbitration: A Country-by-Country Look at Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods Around the Globe (Co-author, Aspatore Books, October 2005)
- Arbitration Clause in International Contracts, Arbitration (Journal of Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, September 2005)
- Enforcement of Arbitral Awards in Korea, Asian Dispute Review (Co-author, HKIAC, September 2002)
- Law on Preventing Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and the Corruption Round, Human Rights and Justice (Journal of the Korean Bar Association, April 1999)
- Corruption Round and the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, Law Journal of International Trade (Ministry of Justice, October 1998)
- Cases, Practices, and Remedies in Tort Litigation for Car Accidents and Industrial Disasters (Co-author, the Tort Committee of the Seoul District Court, May 1994)
- [Speeches and Presentations]
- Faculty, Enforcement of Arbitral Awards: Theory & Practice - Part 7: South Korea (February 2025)
- Judge, SIAC Mock Arbitration, The Art of Cross-Examination”, Seoul (October 2024)
- Speaker, Current Issues and Considerations in International Arbitration, co-hosted by Lee & Ko and Herbert Smith, Seoul (October 2024)
- Speaker, “Zeitgeist: Hot Topics in International Arbitration”, Temple Chambers, Hong Kong (October 2024)
- Speaker, “Strategies for Tackling Investor-State Disputes”, Chief Legal Advisors Forum, Attorney General’s Chambers, Singapore (July 2024)
- Speaker, “Unleashing the Power of Expert Evidence: Maximizing the Value of Your Expert in an International Arbitration, Shaping the Future of International Arbitration, Des Voeux Chambers Annual Conference (May 2024)
- Panelist, “SIAC Rules Change”, SIAC (February 2024)
- Panelist, “Cultural Sensitivity and Diversity in International Arbitration”, The 10th Harvard International Arbitration Conference, HIALSA, Boston (February 2024)
- Judge, “Norton Rose Fulbright Arbitration Debate”, Hong Kong (October 2023)
- Panelist, “Funding’s New Horizons in International Arbitration”, Rede Chambers, Hong Kong (October 2023)
- Panelist, “Energy Disputes ” SIAC Symposium, Singapore (August 2023)
- Speaker, “SIAC Podcast Interview Series 2021”, SIAC, Singapore (2021)
- Speaker, “Enforcement of Arbitral Awards in Asia: Theory & Practice”, SIAC Academy, Singapore (July 2021)
- Moderator, “A Guideline for In-House Counsels: How to Draft Arbitration Clauses by Industry Sector”, KCAB International & Friends Webinar, Seoul (2020)
- Keynote speaker, “International Arbitration in the Era of Trade Wars and Nationalism”, LCIA Symposium on International Arbitration, Seoul (2019)
- Speaker, "Dawn of International Arbitration in the South Pacific: Anatomy of International Arbitration," Regional International Arbitration Conference, Nandi, Fiji (February 2018)
- Speaker, "A finger on the pulse of the Asia Pacific: sharing experiences of investor-state dispute resolution in a dynamic and challenging region," IBA Annual Conference, Sydney, Australia (October 2017)
- Panelist, "The Confluence of Civil Law and Common Law Influences in International Arbitration Practice and Procedure," SIAC Seminar, Tokyo, Japan (July 2017)
- Moderator, "Crystal Ball Gazing into the Future of International Arbitration," SIAC Seminar, Seoul, Korea (June 2017) • Moderator, "Drafting Contracts: A Practitioner’s Guide for Southeast Asian Transaction and Projects," SIAC-KICA Seminar on Doing Business In Southeast Asia, Seoul (April 2017)
- Panelist, “Drafting/negotiating/enforcing ADR clauses and the role of counsel, including in-house: from old to new?” Mediation v Arbitration: Best Friends or Best Enemies? A View from Asia, Hong Kong (December 2016)
- Speaker, LCIA Arbitration - With a Focus on Shipbuilding and Infrastructure, Seoul (March 2016)
- Moderator, “Regionalism: the new and future wave?” 19th Annual IBA International Arbitration Day, Shanghai (March 2016)
- Speaker, “Structuring the Dispute Resolution Process: Arbitration, Litigation, Mediation, and Other Alternatives” Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Conference, San Francisco (January 2016)