Asian Legal Business (ALB) has recognized Lee & Ko’s attorney Sunghee Chae as one of the ‘Asia Super 50 TMT Lawyers’ for 2025.

Attorney Sunghee Chae is actively involved in several practice groups, including Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT), Data Protection & Privacy, IP, Fintech, Regulatory Compliance. Her practice focuses on compliance and advisory services related to data protection laws, digital finance, e-commerce, healthcare, and other IT regulations. Additionally, she handles intellectual property matters such as patents, trademarks, copyrights (including open-source software), trade secrets, and fair trade-related work. Ms. Chae has been advising on AI regulations and related contracts, and she is expanding her expertise in the aerospace regulatory field.

ALB Magazine published by Thomson Reuters is a legal magazine published in the Asian Pacific region, and has conducted the annual survey of Super 50 TMT Lawyers to name the most highly recommended TMT practitioners in the Asian region.

2025.03.27

Awards Ranking

7 Lee & Ko Lawyers Nominated as Thomson Reuters "Stand-out Lawyers 2025"

7 Lee & Ko lawyers have been nominated as “Thomson Reuter Stand-out Lawyers 2025”, a global media providing legal database.

Thomson Reuters nominates the Stand-out Lawyers by receiving recommendations through the global Sharplegal study, which is conducted every year to more than 2,000 senior in-house counsels around the world.

The list of the nominated lawyers is as follows:

Hyun Soo Park

Hyung Soo Lee

Hyunjoo Oh

Jun Woo Cho

Miji Lee

Tae Joo Kim

Yunjeong Seo

2025.03.20

Awards Ranking

'Chambers Global 2025' Band 1 in 7 practice areas

Lee & Ko has once again been recognized by Chambers Global in 2025 for its outstanding legal services. In its latest 2025 edition, Chambers Global ranked the firm as a top-tier law firm(Band 1) across 7 practice areas. As for the individual rankings, 34 attorneys of Lee & Ko have been recognized as leading lawyers for their remarkable performance in their respective practice areas.

Firm Rankings

Banking & Finance

Capital Markets

Corporate/M&A

Dispute Resolution: Litigation

Intellectual Property

International & Cross-Border Capabilities: South Korean Firms

International Trade

Ranked Lawyers

Banking & Finance: Yeo Kyoon Yoon, Woo Young Jung, Yong-Jae Chang, Myoung Chul Kwak, Dong Seok Woo

Capital Markets: Hyunjoo Oh, Seunga Hyun, Jun Woo Cho

Capital Markets: Securitisation: Jin Hong Kwon

Corporate/M&A: Sanggon Kim, Hyeong Gun Lee, Ho Joon Moon, Yong Joon Yoon, Daehoon Koo, Hyung Sub Lim(Foreign Expert for North Korea)

Dispute Resolution: Arbitration: Saemee Kim, Sanghoon Han, Grace Yoon

Dispute Resolution: Litigation: Won Seok Ko, Pyoung Keun Song, Seong Won Chang, Dajoo Jung

IP: Jae Hoon Kim, Un Ho Kim, Keum Nang Park, Hyeon Gil Ryoo, Vera Eun Woo Lee, Jaewoo Kwak, Hankil D. Kang

International Trade: Kichang Chung, Young Gee Park, Young Jae Cho, Hyunsoo Joo, Heysoo Kim

Chambers Global 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.

2025.02.14

Awards Ranking

‘Best Overall Law Firms’ at ABLJ Korea Law Firm Awards 2024

Lee & Ko has been selected as one of the “Best Overall Law Firms” at the Korea Law Awards 2024, hosted by Asia Business Law Journal(ABLJ). This recognition underscores the firm’s dedication to delivering one-stop legal services and its exceptional performance across a wide range of practice. In addition to this prestigious accolade, Lee & Ko has been distinguished in 23 practice areas, including corporate, mergers & acquisitions, banking, arbitration, inbound investment, real estate, insurance, patent, fintech, and healthcare.

Best Overall Law Firms

Anti-corruption & anti-bribery

Arbitration / ADR

Aviation

Capital markets

Competition & antitrust

Compliance & corporate governance

Corporate & commercial

Defense

Energy & natural resources

Entertainment & sports

Fintech

Healthcare & life sciences

Inbound investment

Infrastructure & project finance

Insolvency & restructuring

Insurance & reinsurance

Licensing & franchising

Mergers & acquisitions

Patent litigation

Private equity & venture capital

Real estate

Structured finance & Securitisation

ABLJ has recognized two significant cases handled by Lee & Ko in 2024, including the arbitration with Westinghouse Electric Company before the Korea Commercial Arbitration Board(KCAB), where Lee & Ko represented Korea Electric Power Corporation(KEPCO) and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power(KHNP), as well as the regulatory advisory services and government support related to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s reassessment of the reimbursement eligibility for the pharmaceutical product Mosapride.

Clients have acknowledged Lee & Ko for its outstanding logic, extensive experience, and prompt responses, noting the firm’s ability to effectively persuade foreign regulatory authorities.

Asia Business Law Journal, a leading legal publication in the Asia-Pacific region, conducts annual surveys of lawyers from both domestic and international law firms and corporations. The journal assesses firms based on performance data submitted by domestic law firms for each practice area, beginning in 2021.

2025.01.24

Awards Ranking

'Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025' ranks Lee & Ko in the top tier in 16 practice areas

Lee & Ko was selected as Tier 1 law firm in Korea across 16 fields according to ‘The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025’. Furthermore, 51 Lee & Ko attorneys were selected as ‘Hall of Fame’, ‘Leading Partners’, ‘Next Generation Partners’, and ‘Leading Associates’ in their respective fields.

Firm Rankings

Antitrust and Competition

Banking & Finance

Capital Markets

Corporate and M&A

Dispute Resolution

Fintech and financial services regulatory

Insurance

Intellectual Property

International Arbitration

Labour and Employment

Projects and Energy

Real Estate

Regulatory: white-collar, compliance and investigations

Shipping

Tax

TMT

Antitrust and Competition: Hwan Jeong, Suruyn Kim, Jung Won Kwon, Jeong Yoon Choi

Banking & Finance: Yeo Kyoon Yoon, Myoung Chul Kwak, Hyunsu Kim

Capital Markets: Hyunjoo Oh, Dongyon Kim

Corporate and M&A: Hyeong Gun Lee, Sang Gon Kim, Ho Joon Moon, Kyungchun Kim, Sung Min Kim, Daehoon Koo

Dispute Resolution: Pyoung Keun Song, Seong Won Chang, Jae Heon Park, Yeon Woo Lee

Fintech and financial services regulatory: Jongsoo (Jay) Yoon, Hyeong Min Yoo, Seong Hwan Ju

Insurance: Jin-Young Jung, Jin Hong Kwon, Sae Um Kim

Intellectual Property: Un Ho Kim, Keum Nang Park

Intellectual Property: PATMA: Kyungjin Kim, Soo Yeon Park

International Arbitration: Saemee Kim, Elizabeth Shin, Han-Earl Woo

Labour and Employment: Chang-Soo Jin, Sang-Hoon Lee, Jae Hoon-Choi, William Kim, Shawn (Seong Ho) Han

Projects and Energy: Hun Ko, Hyunsu Kim

Real Estate: Jin Wook Yang, Jee In Kim

Regulatory: white-collar, compliance and investigations:: Tae Yop Lee, Jae Woo Jung

Shipping: Jin-Young Jung, Yun Jeong Seo, Yang Ho Yoon, Young Jae Park

Tax: Byeong Jun Son

TMT: Hwan Kyoung Ko, Kwang Bae Park, Hyun Jun Kim, Il Shin Lee

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific is annually published by Legalease, a global agency that evaluates the capacity of law firms all over the world based on various standards through a comprehensive review of submitted documents by law firms, interviews with lawyers specialized in each field, and feedback from over 300,000 clients.

2025.01.16

Awards Ranking

Lee & Ko Ranked Band 1 in Chambers FinTech Guide 2025

The 2025 edition of Chambers FinTech Guide has awarded Lee & Ko the highest ranking, Band 1, in the legal category.

In its commentary, Chambers and Partners noted Lee & Ko as a premier law firm in South Korea, hailing its robust corporate and capital markets expertise and proven track record in advising and representing major financial institutions and FinTech startups across a broad spectrum of issues, such as digital payments, virtual assets, and internet banking. It further featured input from clients to highlight Lee & Ko’s exceptional ability to navigate regulatory compliance challenges and manage potential risks.

It is worth noting that Lee & Ko’s Digital Finance Team advised and secured Galaxia Moneytree’s designation as an innovative financial service for issuing blockchain-based trust beneficiary certificates for aircraft engine leases, marking the first successful case by a law firm since the announcement of security token guidelines by Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC). Well-versed in matters related to the Electronic Financial Transactions Act, the team also provided counsel to major clients such as Samsung C&T, Shinsegae, Lotte Shopping, and HYBE on the registration of their prepaid business and successfully represented virtual asset companies, including DSRV and BDACS, in filing and obtaining a virtual asset service provider (VASP) license this year.

Currently, Lee & Ko’s digital finance professionals handle legal affairs to provide regulatory assistance to global virtual asset companies such as Worldcoin, BitGo, and NTT Docomo for their entry into Korea. On the domestic front, they offer expert legal guidance to the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in Korea, namely, Dunamu (Upbit) and Bithumb, as well as major Korean companies like LINE NEXT, Shinsegae, Com2us, and SK Networks, in response to cryptocurrency regulatory authorities. In criminal cases, the team handles various high-profile cases involving virtual assets in Korea, such as the Terra-Luna and Haru Invest cases, demonstrating its unparalleled and in-depth expertise in the overall discipline of virtual assets. Furthermore, its competence extends to advising clients on obtaining innovative financial service status with a focus on integrating AI technologies into the financial sector, as showcased by a comprehensive legal review of Hana Bank’s use of AI-generated images.

Hyunkoo Kang, a partner at Lee & Ko specializing in financial regulatory compliance, has been recognized as a notable practitioner in the individual category. Drawing upon outstanding expertise, Mr. Kang advises his clients on various FinTech and financial regulatory matters related to payment models, blockchain, and cross-border e-wallet services, among others.

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

2024.12.20

Press & Releases

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[The Korea Economic Daily] Lee & Ko’s Management Dispute Team Makes Its Mark in Major Cases Including SM Entertainment and Hanmi Pharm

April 22, 2025, The Korea Economic Daily featured Lee & Ko’s Management Dispute Team in a special report on law firms. The report described Lee & Ko’s team as the "living history" of management disputes in Korea, noting that they have been actively involved since more than 20 years ago, when the concept of management disputes itself was not clearly defined. The team has continued to make a strong presence in high-profile corporate management disputes, including cases involving SM Entertainment, Hanmi Pharm, Hanjin Kal, and Osstem Implant. The Management Dispute Team is led by Managing Partner Ho Joon Moon and consists of key members including Sejoong Lee of the Corporate Advisory Group led by Ho Joon Moon, and Dajoo Jung, of the Litigation Group. Ho Joon Moon commented, "Management disputes is where Lee & Ko’s strengths in traditional M&A and litigation really come to the forefront, marking the firm’s resurgence in its prime."

2025.04.22

[Korea Economic Daily] Sang Gon Kim, Managing Partner of Lee & Ko, “Will Continue to Grow in the Field of Outbound Deals centering around International Arbitration”

On April 22, 2025, the Korea Economic Daily published an interview with Sang Gon Kim, Managing Partner of Lee & Ko, in its special feature on law firms. In the interview, Mr. Kim highlighted, “This year, Lee & Ko will continue to grow based on amicable relationships with corporate clients who lead the outbound deal market.” Moreover, confirming the plan to establish the Singapore office aimed at the international dispute market, he added, “Lee & Ko will not only increase its contact points with the international arbitration market through local offices, but also accelerate full-fledged exchanges with global financial institutions.”

2025.04.22

[JoongAng Ilbo] [Law Firm] Diversifying Corporate Control Disputes... Delivering Optimal Solutions with One-Stop Services

On April 17, 2025, the JoongAng Ilbo featured the Corporate Control Disputes Team of Lee & Ko. The article reported, “Lee & Ko has established a permanent task force dedicated to corporate control disputes, providing comprehensive responses ranging from shareholder and Proxy advisory firm engagement to media strategies.”
It went on to explain, “Responding to corporate control disputes requires expertise in both traditional M&A and litigation. This makes it an area where Lee & Ko, a longstanding powerhouse in M&A and a rapidly rising player in litigation, can showcase its strengths most effectively.”
The article continued, “Responding to disputes over corporate control—a field regarded as the epitome of M&A—requires a multifaceted approach that takes into account hostile opponents and various stakeholders, as well as the ability to adapt to constantly evolving circumstances. In this regard, extensive M&A experience is absolutely essential.”
Finally, the article emphasized, “Lee & Ko has consistently received top-tier (Band 1) rankings from major domestic and international evaluation agencies such as Chambers and The Legal 500 for decades. This solid foundation enables the firm to deliver optimal strategies for any type of corporate control dispute.”

2025.04.17

[Seoul Economic Daily] Microscopic analysis down to messages: A company was saved from the brink of losing its patent by Lee & Ko

On March 30, 2025, Seoul Economic Daily reported on the victory of Lee & Ko’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. The article stated, “Lee & Ko’s Intellectual Property Practice Group successfully represented Wonik PNE, a manufacturer of secondary battery activation devices, in a lawsuit over patent ownership against a competing company.” It further highlighted that “after a prolonged dispute lasting three years and four months, Lee & Ko’s Intellectual Property Practice Group secured decisive victories for Wonik PNE before both the court of first instance and the court of second instance.” During the litigation process, Lee & Ko attorneys proved that the patent was the result of an employee invention developed by Wonik PNE employees during their work duties, thereby preventing the leakage of core technologies.

2025.03.30

Deals & Cases

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Represented Yonsei University and succeeded in a preliminary injunction case concerning an alleged leak of entrance exam questions for the 2025 admissions process

Lee & Ko represented Yonsei University in a case concerning the 2025 Yonsei University natural sciences entrance exam (early admissions) conducted on 12 October 2024 and ultimately won the case for the client against 18 students (the movants) who filed the action, including an application for a preliminary injunction demanding a retest.

In the first instance, the court dismissed the application for a preliminary injunction demanding a retest, but granted a preliminary injunction stating that “the subsequent procedures following the entrance exam shall be suspended until the first instance decision on the merits has been rendered.”

This decision which accepted the preliminary injunction in part, caused Yonsei University’s early admissions process to be suspended, and caused much uncertainty not only for the students who took Yonsei University’s entrance exam in question, but all students across the nation facing university admissions, leading to much disruption in the national university admissions process.

Lee & Ko immediately appealed against the first instance decision and argued that “① the movants do not have the right to suspend the admissions process for other selection units they have not applied for, ② the movants have no legal grounds to demand a retest and the suspension of subsequent procedures without a retest provides no benefits to the movants, so that there is no interest in protecting their rights and the necessity for preservation cannot be recognized, and ③ in the case of a ‘preliminary injunction to determine temporary status,’ a high degree of prima facie establishment regarding the right to be preserved and the necessity for preservation is required. However, in the present case, the movants mainly submitted evidence that was written anonymously, which undermines its credibility. Even when considering other evidence, there is insufficient prima facie establishment to conclude that the fairness of the essay test has been significantly compromised to the extent that it could invalidate the entire test.”

The appellate court sided with Lee & Ko, overturned the preliminary injunction granted by the court of first instance, and dismissed the movants’ preliminary injunction application.

This case highlights how Lee & Ko successfully prevented significant disruptions to the 2025 admission process of not only Yonsei University but universities across the country. Lee & Ko’s success stemmed from our meticulous analysis of legal principles and development of logical arguments on various complex issues, including the scope of a preliminary injunction in civil cases, the prima facie level of proof needed to preserve rights in a preliminary injunction case and whether such preservation is necessary, and the scope of autonomy that private universities have in the admission process.

2025.01.03

Conducting patent infringement litigation regarding high-nickel cathode materials and successfully carrying out evidence preservation procedures

Lee & Ko is acting for LG Chem, Korea’s leading cathode materials manufacturer that succeeded in mass-producing NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) cathode materials for the first time in the world, in a lawsuit filed against Ronbay, another representative cathode material manufacturer in China, and Jae Se Energy, Ronbay’s Korean subsidiary.

NCM cathode materials containing nickel, cobalt and manganese as main components, especially the so-called “high-nickel” cathode materials with high nickel content, exhibit a high energy density and thus can be applied to electric vehicles requiring high capacity and high power. On the other hand, such high-nickel cathode materials require state-of-the-art technology for mass production and commercialization due to their low structural and thermal stability.

As far as NCM cathode materials are concerned, Ronbay enjoys the first place in China, and it was pursuing the export of cathode materials to the United States and Europe while gradually increasing the production of high-nickel cathode materials by using the Chungju plant of Jae Sae Energy as one of its main production bases. However, based on conducting comparative analysis of LG Chem’s diverse patent portfolio regarding cathode materials after obtaining samples of high-nickel cathode materials produced by Ronbay and Jae Sea Energy, it was confirmed that their products infringe at least five of LG Chem’s cathode material-related patents

In response, Lee & Ko sought an injunction on patent infringement with the Seoul Central District Court on behalf of LG Chem. Simultaneously, Lee & Ko filed an application for preservation of evidence to secure evidence that could reveal patent infringement at an early stage. In the process, Lee & Ko successfully carried out procedures to secure evidence of patent infringement entirely under Ronbay’s control, including persuasively explaining the need to preserve evidence and obtaining the court’s evidence preservation order.

In addition, Lee & Ko filed an application with the Korea Trade Commission to investigate unfair trade practices in the import and supply of patent-infringing products by Ronbay and Jae Sae Energy, and the Korea Trade Commission has decided to launch an investigation into the matter, and the investigation is currently underway. Lee & Ko is conducting all-out patent infringement disputes representing LG Chem against Ronbay and Jae Sae Energy by actively defending claims of patent invalidity in response to the patent invalidation action filed by Ronbay.

2024.12.31

IMM Consortium Advises Ecobit on Acquisition Finance

In connection with the acquisition of Ecorbit by IMM consortium from Taeyoung Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), Lee & Ko acted as counsel to the lead arrangers Kiwoom Securities, NH Investment & Securities and Nonghyup Bank. Lee & Ko also advised and the lenders comprising of 40 domestic financial institutions in the same transaction which consisted of two parts: (i) a KRW 1,337.2 billion acquisition finance loan to the special purpose vehicles established by the IMM consortium which acted as buyers, and (ii) a KRW 370 billion loan to Ecorbit to repay the existing borrowings. Ecorbit is the foremost waste disposal company in Korea.

The transaction, which was part of the workout process of Taeyoung Group, was one of the largest domestic M&A transactions in 2024 and attracted a lot of attention in the market. Lee & Ko provided extensive advice to the lenders from the bidding stage to the closing of the transaction, including drafting the loan agreements, negotiations with the lenders, and review of the loan closing documents, which were structured in two tranches: the first tranche consisting of an acquisition loan to the buyers and the second tranche loan to the target company to repay the existing loans.

As the buyer in this case was established as two special purpose companies, Lee & Ko carefully analyzed the joint borrower structure and reflected it in the contract to ensure that the rights of the lenders were protected by the collateral agreed between the parties so as not to be different from a single borrower loan. In particular, Lee & Ko played a leading role in the negotiations, reconciling the sharply opposing commercial requirements of the parties and proposing appropriate alternatives, taking into account the special characteristics of the waste treatment industry, and promptly responding to the ever-changing transaction structure caused by various factors to support the successful closing of the transaction totaling KRW 1.7 trillion.

2024.12.12

Advised on the issuance of USD 1 billion and AUD 4.5 billion Foreign Exchange Stabilization Fund Bonds

Lee & Ko advised on the issuance of USD 1 billion by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance of foreign exchange stabilization bonds (FESB) in the U.S. in July 2024 and AUD 450 million of FESB in the Australia in December 2024.

As the interest rate of FESB is used as a benchmark for domestic companies and financial institutions in offshore bond issuance, the issuance of FESB is very important in the capital market. In particular, the issuance of USD 1 billion FESB was significant in that achieved it received the lowest mark-up rate in history, and that the Korean government established the status of a regular bond issuer by issuing dollar-denominated bonds after three years.

In addition, the AUD 4.5 billion FESB is the first FESB ever issued in Australian Dollars and is seen as a diversification of the Korean government's funding sources. The stable subscription and issuance of the bond, despite the declaration of martial law shortly after the pricing, is particularly significant. Lee & Ko’s experts contributed to the success of the transaction by providing accurate and prompt advice in a volatile market.

In addition to this transaction, Lee & Ko has advised a number of other large-scale bond issuances in the second half of 2024 alone, including Shinhan Card's AUD 300 million offshore bond, Kookmin Bank's EUR 500 million covered bond, Korea National Oil Corporation's USD 1.2 billion offshore bond, and Korea Gas Corporation's USD 500 million offshore bond.

2024.12.10

Advise on the sale of Koryo Nobel Explosives Co., Ltd. by Eum Private Equity Co., Ltd.

Lee & Ko provided legal advice for a transaction (the "Transaction") involving the sale of all shares issued by Koryo Nobel Explosives Co., Ltd. (the "Target Company"), held by KNE Holdings Co., Ltd., an SPC managed by Eum Private Equity Co., Ltd. as its general partner.

On November 8, 2024, KNE Holdings Co., Ltd. entered into a share purchase agreement with Kiwoom Private Equity Inc., under which all shares issued by the Target Company were sold to Kiwoom Private Equity Inc. for KRW 217.3 billion. Kiwoom Private Equity Inc. established a fund to consummate the Transaction.

Lee & Ko has been advising Eum Private Equity Co., Ltd., the seller, since its acquisition of the Target Company. For the Transaction, Lee & Ko provided comprehensive legal services for the seller, including reviewing the transaction structure, responding to the buyer's due diligence, and negotiating and executing the share purchase agreement, contributing to the successful closing of the Transaction.

2024.12.05

Merger between SAPEON Korea Inc. and Rebellions Inc.

The merger transaction (the “Transaction”) between Sapion Korea, Inc. and Rebellions Inc. (the “Merger Agreement”), with Sapion Korea, Inc. as the surviving entity and Rebellions Inc. as the dissolving entity, was executed on August 20, 2024, and was consummated on December 1, 2024, designated as the effective date of the merger.

Sapion Korea, Inc. and Rebellions Inc. are leading players in the domestic AI semiconductor market. This merger was undertaken to establish a representative AI company in Korea and enhance competitiveness in the global AI semiconductor industry. Notably, the Transaction was structured as a merger between unaffiliated companies—a relatively uncommon occurrence—requiring careful pre-transaction alignment of the parties’ interests, as the two entities would be integrated into a single organization following the closing of the Transaction.

Acting on behalf of Sapion Korea, Lee & Ko provided comprehensive legal support throughout the Transaction, including the design of the transaction structure, timeline management, and compliance with disclosure requirements. In particular, Lee& Ko provided effective and systematic legal advice on various matters arising during the Transaction, including drafting the merger agreement, negotiating with stakeholders, and preparing the shareholders’ agreement. Through these efforts, Lee & Ko contributed to the efficient and successful completion of the Transaction within a short timeframe.

2024.12.01

Criminal appeal case regarding the Samsung Electronics carbon dioxide leak accident

Lee & Ko represented Samsung Electronics in an appeal regarding the case in which the company’s executives and employees were indicted and found guilty in the court of first instance of occupational negligence resulting in injury or death. The case arose from an accident at Samsung Electronics’ Giheung facility, where a carbon dioxide leak during the replacement of fire-fighting equipment resulted in three casualties. Through meticulous legal analysis and a thorough examination of the evidence, Lee & Ko developed the optimal defense strategy and ultimately secured an acquittal for Samsung Electronics’ executives and employees. Lee & Ko is currently representing the client in the appeal before the Supreme Court.

The accident occurred when an improperly cut active wire triggered the carbon dioxide fire extinguishing system to operate, causing the connected selector valve to detach because it failed to withstand the pressure of the carbon dioxide, ultimately resulting in carbon dioxide leaking to the outside.

In the first instance, the court determined that the accident was caused by the construction company’s negligence in improperly cutting an active wire, as well as Samsung Electronics’ executives and employees who failed to adequately manage the selector valve that emits carbon dioxide. The court thus found Samsung Electronics’ executives and employees guilty of occupational negligence resulting in injury or death.

Samsung Electronics retained Lee & Ko as its new counsel for the appeal. Lee & Ko emphasized that the detachment of the selector valve was a manufacturing defect, and that there was no legal or factual basis for imposing an obligation on Samsung Electronics, which simply purchased and used the selector valve, to inspect its pressure resistance. At the same time, Lee & Ko meticulously analyzed and contended that the first instance decision erroneously conflated civil law principles of product liability with criminal legal principles of occupational negligence. The appellate court sided with Lee & Ko’s arguments, acquitting Samsung Electronics’ executives and employees and overturning the first instance decision. This case exemplifies Lee & Ko’s strong advocacy skills to present the most effective case strategy and solution for clients.

2024.11.29

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Research

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Legal 500 Country Comparative Guides 2024

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2023 Capital Markets Regulation Trends and its Impacts on Corporations / Auditor Journal (January 2023, vol. 277) Hyunjoo Oh

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