Woo Young Choi is Head of Digital Finance Team, Co-Head of the Digital Assets Center, and a partner in the IP Practice Group. Mr. Choi primarily focuses his practice on not only the cryptocurrency regulatory response and related civil and criminal litigation but also enforcement of IP rights including patents (e.g., electrical, mechanical engineering and computer science), trademarks, copyrights, designs, and trade secrets.
Mr. Choi is a pioneer in the field of Korean cryptocurrency and has been actively advising clients on legal and regulatory issues arising from the implementation and adoption of blockchain technology since 2017. Mr. Choi has been recognized as a leading expert in Korea on the issues concerning ICOs and other cryptocurrency issuances, transaction regulations, VASP regulations such as exchanges and custody, as well as response to cryptocurrency hacking. In addition, Mr. Choi has handled leading cases in Korean cryptocurrency space such as the Tera-Luna criminal case, the Haru Invest case, and a number of cryptocurrency hacking cases and also represented other major cases including various VASP applications and a regulatory sandbox for fractional ownership and investment of music copyright. Having successfully advised both Korean cryptocurrency companies on their entry into regulatory-friendly countries and international companies on their entry into Korean market, Mr. Choi is renowned as the top lawyer of cryptocurrency field in Korea.
Mr. Choi has established himself as a highly-respected litigation attorney, in particular, in the area of trade secret misappropriation. Mr. Choi successfully represented a Korean steel manufacturer in a global trade secret misappropriation and patent infringement lawsuit involving electrical steel plate against a Japanese steel manufacturer which was the largest trade secret infringement case in Korea at the time. Further, Mr. Choi has extensive experience in broad spectrum of industrial technologies, including in online businesses, software, and batteries (lithium-ion). Given his deep-seated knowledge and experience in resolving trade secret misappropriation disputes, Mr. Choi frequently advises clients establish and implement trade secret protection guidelines that not only prevents trade secret misappropriation but also ensures a favorable outcome in the event of trade secret misappropriation. In addition, Mr. Choi frequently represents clients in patent, trademark, and copyright infringement lawsuits.

Based on his significant experience in various international litigation and disputes and enforcement of foreign judgments, Mr. Choi also has advised clients on complex cross-border cryptocurrency and IP transactions. As a representative example, Mr. Choi successfully advised on numerous cryptocurrency arbitrage transactions and cross-border cryptocurrency OTC transactions, and represented Korean distributors in entering into various distribution arrangements with global electronic company that supply a wide range of electronic products to Korean conglomerates.

Mr. Choi received his Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Seoul National University in 2005. After passing the Korean bar exam in 2005, he was admitted to the Korean Bar and completed the legal training program at the Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea in 2008. Prior to joining Lee & Ko in 2011, he served as a Judge Advocate Officer at the Korea Legal Aid Corporation, and also, at the Prosecutor's Office.

Mr. Choi is based in Lee & Ko PanGyo Office and provides comprehensive and focused advice to meet the progressive needs of industrial innovation and IT companies.