Recent Developments

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)

19 lawyers from Lee & Ko have been selected in the '2025 Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers' researched by Asia Business Law Journal. Yong Seok Ahn and Kyu Wha Lee have also been recognized as one of the most influential lawyers in Korea, being named an “ICON” for their ability to provide valuable insights to the legal community based on their extensive experience.
 
The lists of Korea’s Top Lawyers selected from Lee & Ko are as follows:

 Banking & Finance: Woo Young Jung, Yeo Kyoon Yoon
 Capital Markets: Jin Hong Kwon, Hyunjoo Oh
 Competition/Antitrust: Yong Seok Ahn, Hwan Jeong
 Corporate/M&A: Sanggon Kim, Ho Joon Moon, Kyu Wha Lee, Hyeong Gun Lee
 Dispute Resolution: Arbitration: Jinyoung Jung
 Dispute Resolution: Litigation: Won Seok Ko
 Employment: Sang Hoon Lee 
 Insurance: Jin Hong Kwon, Jinyoung Jung
 IP: Jae Hoon Kim, Un Ho Kim
 Projects & Energy: Hun Ko, Dong Eun Kim
 Shipping: Jinyoung Jung, Woo Young Jung
 TMT: Hwan Kyoung Ko, Kwang Bae Park

Asia Business Law Journal (ABLJ), an Asian regional law magazine, conducts research on thousands of domestic and foreign in-house counsel as well as lawyers at international law firms to select the Top 100 lawyers in Korea every year.
 

Lee & Ko has once again reaffirmed its position as Korea’s leading law firm, being recognized as a top-tier firm across all 24 industry sectors and practice areas in Asialaw Profiles 2025. This marks the fifth consecutive year that Lee & Ko has achieved this distinction, an accomplishment unmatched by any other domestic law firm, many of which received top rankings only in select areas.

This recognition reflects Lee & Ko’s breadth of expertise, market-leading capabilities, and client trust across all key areas of legal practice in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region.

In addition, 44 Lee & Ko professionals were honored as Senior Statesman, Elite Practitioner, Distinguished Practitioner, Notable Practitioner, or Rising Star, highlighting the firm’s depth of individual talent and professional excellence.


Industry Sectors 
 Aviation and Shipping
 Consumer goods and Services
 Industrials and Manufacturing
 Insurance
 Pharmaceuticals and Life sciences
 Technology and Telecommunications
 Banking and Financial services
 Energy
 Infrastructure
 Media and Entertainment
 Real estate

Practice Areas
 Banking and Finance
 Competition/Antitrust
 Corporate and M&A
 Intellectual Property
 Labour and Employment
 Regulatory
 Tax
 Capital Markets
 Construction
 Dispute Resolution
 Investment Funds
 Private Equity
 Restructuring and Insolvency


 Banking and Financial services: Woo Young Jung, Yeo Kyoon Yoon, Yong-Jae Chang, Hyunjoo Oh, Seunga Hyun, Myoung Chul Kwak
 Banking and Finance: Woo Young Jung, Yeo Kyoon Yoon, Yong-Jae Chang, Myoung Chul Kwak, Samsung Kim, Min Ha Song
 Capital Markets: Hyunjoo Oh, Seunga Hyun
 Competition/Antitrust: Yong Seok Ahn, Hwan Jeong, Hyun Chul Kim, Jeong-Ho Sun, Jeong Yoon Choi, Suruyn Kim
 Corporate and M&A: Kyu Wha Lee, Sanggon Kim, Ho Joon Moon, Hyeong Gun Lee
 Dispute Resolution: Won Seok Ko, Saemee Kim
 Energy: Dong Eun Kim, Hun Ko, Insoo Kim
 Infrastructure: Dong Eun Kim, Hun Ko, Insoo Kim, Samsung Kim, Min Ha Song
 Insurance: Gidon Nam, Jinyoung Jung, Jin Hong Kwon
 Intellectual Property: Jae Hoon Kim, Un Ho Kim, Keum Nang Park, Jaewoo Kwak, Heon Lee
 Labour and Employment: Sang Hoon Lee, Chang Soo Jin, Hyunseok Song , William Kim
 Media and Entertainment: Kwang Bae Park
 Real estate: Jung Hwan Lee
 Restructuring and Insolvency: Wan Shik Lee, Eunjai Lee, Jung Hyun Lee
 Shipping: Jinyoung Jung , Gidon Nam
 Tax: Ok Hyun Ma, Sung Hwan Kim
 Technology and Telecommunications: Kwang Bae Park, Hwan Kyoung Ko, Samuel (Soon-Yub) Kwon, Yong Seok Ahn

Asialaw Profiles is published annually by Asialaw, an affiliate of the global financial journal Euromoney. Asialaw Profiles ranks law firms and individual practitioners across the Asia-Pacific region based on law firm submissions, client and peer interviews, and independent market research.