Recent Developments

Lee & Ko has once again been ranked Band 1, the highest tier, in the legal category of the 2026 edition of the Chambers FinTech Guide. In the individual category, Partner Il Shin Lee was newly ranked this year, while Partner Hyunkoo Kang continued his presence for a consecutive year.

Chambers and Partners named Lee & Ko a Band 1 ranking, its highest distinction, recognizing the firm as a premier law firm in Korea with deep capabilities in corporate advisory and capital markets and for its exceptional performance in advising and representing major financial institutions and fintech startups across a broad range of matters, including digital payments, virtual assets, and internet banking. Client feedback likewise emphasized its advice of the highest caliber, not only legally sophisticated but also closely aligned with business objectives and operational practices, along with its proactive and strategic response to evolving regulatory trends.

Lee & Ko’s Digital Finance Team has robust expertise in regulatory issues under the Electronic Financial Transactions Act, with a track record that includes advising Samsung C&T, Shinsegae, and Lotte Shopping on PG registrations, as well as HYBE on its registration as a prepaid payment instrument issuer. Latest regulatory assistance has centered on prepaid business operator registration for virtual asset exchanges, a development that, if completed, would constitute an industry first in Korea’s virtual asset market. The practice also advised Bithumb on its corporate spin-off and represented DSRV, BDACS, and HappyBlock in regulatory filings to secure licenses required for virtual asset service providers.

On the international front, regulatory engagement has been undertaken in connection with the entry into Korea of major global virtual asset companies, namely, Worldcoin, BitGo, NTT Docomo, Meta Earth, Wallet, and Acurast. Within the Korean market, professional regulatory advisory services are provided to leading virtual asset exchanges, such as Dunamu (Upbit) and Bithumb, and to major Korean companies, of particular note, LINE NEXT, Shinsegae, Com2us, and SK Networks, in support of ongoing engagement with cryptocurrency regulators. In addition, strategic guidance on multiple digital asset treasury (DAT) transactions has established substantial experience in the DAT sector, among which is the Bitplanet transaction, the largest of its kind in Korea to date.

Lee & Ko’s Digital Finance Team has also handled a range of virtual asset–related criminal cases, including matters involving Upbit, Terra-Luna, and Haru Invest, which are widely regarded as among the most high-profile virtual asset criminal proceedings in Korea. More recently, the practice has achieved notable regulatory and enforcement outcomes, including a substantial reduction in the anticipated administrative fine against Kakao Pay to KRW 5.9 billion and the conclusion of the Naver Financial investigation without sanctions. In parallel, clients have been advised in major civil disputes concerning token compensation issues between blockchain game companies and developers.

Meanwhile, recent performances include advice on innovative financial service designations for AI-driven financial services, such as Shinhan Financial Group’s AI platform and Wealth Guide’s generative AI-based financial counsel service, as well as continued regulatory sandbox advisory on innovative financial service designations for fractional investment in ship-finance equity interests. Lee & Ko’s Digital Finance Team has further driven legislative amendments to facilitate securities lending brokerage for Korea Securities Lending, contributing to the establishment of a new investment brokerage licensing provision under the Enforcement Decree of the Capital Markets Act, while simultaneously guiding overseas companies such as PayPal, Traveloka, and Ant Group on strategic market entry into Korea.

The Chambers FinTech Guide, one of the world’s leading legal ranking directories in the UK, released by Chambers and Partners, benchmarks and ranks leading law firms in the fintech sector across more than 50 jurisdictions worldwide.

Lee & Ko was ranked Band 1 by 'Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide 2026’ in 10 practice areas. For the individual rankings, 72 attorneys were recognized as ‘Leading Individuals’ throughout all practice areas.
 
 
 Banking & Finance  
 Capital Markets  
 Competition/Antitrust 
 Corporate/M&A  
 Insurance 
 Intellectual Property  
 International Trade 
 Projects & Energy  
 Shipping Finance 
 Technology, Media, Telecoms

 
 Banking & Finance: Woo Young Jung, Yeo Kyoon Yoon, Yong-Jae Chang, Myoung Chul Kwak, Dong Seok Woo
 Capital Markets: Hyunjoo Oh, Seunga Hyun, Jun Woo Cho 
 Capital Markets: Securitisation: Jin Hong Kwon
 Competition/Antitrust: Yong Seok Ahn, Hwan Jeong, Jeong-Ho Sun, Suruyn Kim, Miji Lee, Byong Ki Chung 
 Corporate/M&A: Sanggon Kim, Ho Joon Moon, Hyeong Gun Lee, Yong Joon Yoon, Daehoon Koo
 Dispute Resolution: Arbitration: Saemee Kim, Zachary Sharpe, Sanghoon Han, Grace Yoon
 Dispute Resolution: Litigation: Pyoung Keun Song, Dajoo Jung, Seon Tae Kim, Jae Heon Park 
 Dispute Resolution: White-Collar Crime: Tae Ki Ghil, Taeyop Lee, Youngsub Jang, Jin So, Jae Man Yu
 Employment: Sang Hoon Lee, Chang Soo Jin, Hyunseok Song, William Kim  
 Insurance: Jinyoung Jung, Jin Hong Kwon, Yang Ho Yoon
 Intellectual Property: Jae Hoon Kim, Un Ho Kim, Keum Nang Park, Hyeon Gil Ryoo, Vera Eun Woo Lee, Hankil D. Kang, Hwansung Park, Jaewoo Kwak, Hayoun Chun 
 International Trade: Kichang Chung, Hyunsoo Joo, Young Gee Park, Young Jae Cho, Heysoo Kim 
 Projects & Energy: Hun Ko, Dong Eun Kim, Kwang Yul Kim, Jungmin Pak
 Real Estate: Junghwan Lee, Dong Seok Woo 
 Restructuring/Insolvency: Eunjai Lee, Wanshik Lee, Jung Hyun Lee, Seok Pyo Hong 
 Shipping: Jinyoung Jung, Yang Ho Yoon
 Shipping: Finance: Woo Young Jung, Yunjeong Seo
 Tax: Kyung Tae Kim, Tom Kwon  
 Technology, Media, Telecoms: Kwang Bae Park, Hwan Kyoung Ko, Ju Bong Jang, Samuel (Soon-Yub) Kwon, Sunghee Chae, Tae Joo Kim 
 North Korea - General Business Law (Foreign Expertise based abroad in South Korea): Hyung Sub Lim 

Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide is a law firm evaluation publication released by Chambers and Partners, a leading global legal publisher based in England, which selects top law firms and top lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region each year based on a comprehensive analysis of data submitted by law firms, interviews with partner lawyers and clients, and recently accomplished work.
 

Jaewoo Kwak, a partner of Lee & Ko’s Intellectual Property Group, has been selected for the Lexology Index: Client Choice 2026, in recognition of his expertise in the field of intellectual property and his exceptional client service.

Mr. Kwak is widely recognized as a highly versatile practitioner whose comprehensive and profound understanding of both technology and legal principles enables him to excel across a broad range of IP disputes and advisory matters. He achieved a dramatic turnaround and final victory in a decade-long, multi-billion-won patent battle involving ice water purifiers, and played a leading role in securing the Supreme Court decision in the unauthorized BTS photo book case, a landmark ruling that ultimately paved the way for the legislative recognition of the right of publicity in Korea.

He also possesses unparalleled expertise in international patent and trade secret disputes involving advanced technologies, as well as in complex e-discovery matters. More recently, he has garnered additional attention for his extensive work on AI-related and gaming-industry cases.

Since 2005, the Lexology Index: Client Choice has recognized lawyers around the world who demonstrate excellence in client care, based on evaluations from in-house counsel and a rigorous independent review process. Mr. Kwak’s selection reflects the continued trust placed in him by global and domestic clients, as well as his longstanding commitment to delivering the highest caliber of legal service.

Lee & Ko has been honored with two top distinctions at the 2025 Asia IP Awards, held on November 6 in Kuala Lumpur, being named “Korea Copyright Firm of the Year” and “Korea Trademark Litigation Firm of the Year.” These awards recognize the firm’s leadership and excellence across the full spectrum of intellectual property practice.

Lee & Ko’s IP & Technology Group has recently achieved a series of landmark results in high-stakes IP disputes. Most notably, the team secured a decisive victory in the widely publicized “Water Purifier Patent War,” overturning an unfavorable first-instance judgment on behalf of Coway at the appellate level and ultimately prevailing before the Supreme Court. In another precedent-setting matter, the Group successfully established that an online offer for sale of patent-infringing products directed at Korean consumers constitutes patent infringement in Korea, even when the seller’s servers are located overseas. This ruling significantly enhances the substantive protection available to rights holders in an increasingly borderless digital marketplace.

Beyond patents, the Group also advises and litigates across a diverse range of IP fields. It manages complex and high-profile copyright disputes, including prominent mobile-game litigation, and provides robust enforcement and strategic counseling for global and domestic brand owners in trademark matters. Leveraging seamless collaboration between seasoned IP litigators and the patent attorneys of the firm’s affiliated patent practice, Lee & Ko’s IP & Technology Group not only develops effective IP portfolio strategies but also delivers comprehensive ONE-STOP services, ranging from patent, trademark, and design filings for global companies to managing IP litigation and providing counsel on, and resolving, disputes involving cutting-edge technologies and diverse technology-related issues.

The Asia IP Awards honor the best law firms across the region for excellence in trademark, patent, and copyright work. Winners are selected from a shortlist of five firms based on voting by more than 5,000 in-house counsels worldwide.

Lee & Ko was honored with three major awards at the Asialaw Awards 2025, including the “South Korea Firm of the Year”, “Impact Deal and Case Awards”, and “South Korea Honourable Mention Lawyer (Client Choice Awards).” With these recognitions, Lee & Ko achieved the highest number of awards among Korean law firms this year. 

In the firm category, the “Client Choice Awards – South Korea Firm of the Year” is presented to the firm that receives the highest evaluation from clients, underscoring once again Lee & Ko’s strong client satisfaction and trust. Recognizing high-profile transactions that have made a significant impact on the global and regional stage, the “Impact Deal and Case Awards” honored Lee & Ko for its leading role in three major transactions: the Dangjin Phase 1 Solar Power Project (120 MW capacity) (in the energy sector); ICON Offshore's RM429 million maritime acquisition of equity interests in Vietnamese port operators (in the maritime sector); and the NAIA Airport USD1.38 billion financing (in the finance sector). In the individual category, Jaewoo Kwak, a Partner in Lee & Ko’s Intellectual Property Group, was named “South Korea Honourable Mention Lawyer (Client Choice Awards).” 

Asialaw’s latest annual rankings also distinguished Lee & Ko as an ‘Outstanding Firm’ across all 24 practice areas, reaffirming its outstanding capabilities across a broad spectrum of sectors in Korea and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The Asialaw Awards are presented by Asialaw, an affiliate of Euromoney, the global financial publication. Each year, the awards celebrate leading law firms across 11 practice areas, 7 industries, and 20 jurisdictions throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
The awards won by Lee & Ko are as follows.
 
[Editor’s Choice Awards]
 Impact Deals and Cases
    - Dangjin Phase 1 Solar Power Project
    - ICON Offshore's RM429 Million Maritime Acquisition
    - NAIA Airport US$1.38 Billion Financing

[Client Choice Awards]
 South Korea Firm of the Year
 South Korea Honourable Mention Lawyer - Jaewoo Kwak

Lee & Ko has once again reaffirmed its position as one of Korea’s premier law firms earning six honors including “Korea Deal Firm of the Year” and “Litigation Law Firm of the Year” at the ALB Korea Law Awards 2025, hosted by Asian Legal Business (ALB), a Thomson Reuters affiliate and one of Asia’s most respected legal publications.

In the Firm Categories, Lee & Ko was recognized as “Korea Deal Firm of the Year”, “Litigation Law Firm of the Year”, and “Tax & Trusts Law Firm of the Year”, achieving its third consecutive recognition in the litigation category. These accolades highlight the firm’s sustained excellence across dispute resolution, corporate advisory, and tax practices, supported by exceptional teamwork and execution capabilities. In particular, the firm achieved significant victories in cases of broad social and economic importance, including the Pohang Earthquake Damages Appeal, the HSBC Short-Selling Criminal Case, and the SK Chemicals Humidifier Disinfectant Case. 

Beyond litigation, the firm’s transactional and advisory expertise was also recognized through its work on several landmark matters, such as LG Energy Solution’s acquisition of assets from Ultium Cells LLC, SK’s sale of SK Specialty, and Lotte Group’s VAT dispute, underscoring the firm’s depth of experience and cross-practice capabilities.

In the Deal Categories, Lee & Ko earned top honors for its exceptional advisory capabilities in M&A and Capital Markets, winning “Debt Market Deal of the Year” for advising on Hanwha Life Insurance’s Tier II Subordinated Capital Securities, “Equity Market Deal of the Year” for LG Chem, Ltd.’s issuance of exchangeable bonds due 2028, and “M&A Deal of the Year” for Korean Air Lines’ acquisition of Asiana Airlines and sale of Asiana Airlines’ cargo business.

The ALB Korea Law Awards celebrate the most outstanding achievements in Korea’s legal market, evaluating law firms and in-house teams based on submitted materials and independent research. These six awards are a testament to Lee & Ko’s unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and leadership across all practice areas.

The awards won by Lee & Ko are as follows.
[Firm Categories]
 Korea Deal Firm of the Year 
 Litigation Law Firm of the Year 
 Tax and Trusts Law Firm of the Year 

[Deal Categories]
 Debt Market Deal of the Year (Hanwha Life Insurance Tier II Subordinated Capital Securities)
 Equity Market Deal of the Year (LG Chem, Ltd. Issuance of Exchangeable Bonds due 2028)
 M&A Deal of the Year (Korean Air Lines Acquisition of Asiana Airlines and Sale of Asiana Airlines Cargo Business)