Recent Developments

Lee & Ko has welcomed Won Jee Jang, who brings extensive trial experience from major courts, including service as a presiding judge at the Daejeon District Court and as a judge at the Seoul Central District Court.

After earning her Bachelor of Laws from Seoul National University in 2007, Ms. Jang entered the legal profession upon completing the Judicial Research and Training Institute (38th) in 2009. She has subsequently managed a wide range of civil and criminal cases across key district courts, beginning at the Gunsan Branch of Jeonju District Court and later serving at the Incheon District Court, Seoul Western District Court, Seoul Central District Court, and Seoul Southern District Court.

From 2022, Ms. Jang served as a judge at the Seoul Central District Court, and from 2024, as a presiding judge at the Daejeon District Court, overseeing numerous complex corporate disputes and significant criminal cases. Her outstanding case management and judicious leadership earned her significant trust both within the judiciary and among external stakeholders.

During her time on the bench, Ms. Jang developed considerable expertise across diverse areas, including civil and criminal litigation, corporate regulation, and family law, demonstrating particular proficiency in handling sophisticated disputes involving corporations and financial institutions. 

At Lee & Ko, Ms. Jang will join the Litigation Group, providing clients with strategic and practical legal services across a wide spectrum of areas, including corporate advisory, civil and criminal litigation, audit and investigation responses, and regulatory risk management.

According to Managing Partner Sanggon Kim, “Ms. Jang is a professional who, drawing on her comprehensive trial background, brings exceptional legal judgment and practical insight, enabling her to deliver trusted legal services to our clients. She will particularly strengthen Lee & Ko’s service quality in complex corporate disputes and risk management.” 

Ms. Jang emphasized, “Building on my judicial service, I aim to assist corporate and individual clients in addressing complex legal risks in a proactive and practical manner. I look forward to collaborating with the experts at Lee & Ko and am committed to providing the highest standard of legal services.”  
 

Seung Gyu Lee, former Head of the Legal Department (Vice President) at Samsung SDI, has rejoined Lee & Ko.

Mr. Lee graduated from Seoul National University, College of Law in 1999 and entered the legal profession after completing the Judicial Research and Training Institute (30th) in 2001. He subsequently served as a judge at major courts, including the Seoul Central District Court, Seoul Eastern District Court, Suwon District Court, and Incheon District Court, handling a broad range of civil and criminal cases. 

From 2013, he held the position of professor at the Judicial Research and Training Institute, contributing to the development of junior legal professionals. Between 2014 and 2015, he worked as Judicial Policy Advisor at the National Court Administration, participating in judicial system reforms and policy formulation. From 2016 to 2018, he acted as Presiding Judge at the Suncheon Branch of the Gwangju District Court and the Gwangju Family Court.

From 2020 to 2022, he worked at Lee & Ko, and following his 2022 appointment as Head of the Legal Department (Vice President) at Samsung SDI, he oversaw enterprise-wide legal operations, including contract management, litigation, compliance framework development, intellectual property protection, and global risk management, guiding the company’s key legal strategies. He has been recognized for his exceptional risk management capabilities in advanced industries such as semiconductors, batteries, and automotive electronics.

Mr. Lee rejoins Lee & Ko and will be part of the Litigation Group, providing strategic legal services across a wide spectrum of areas, including corporate advisory, internal investigations, compliance consulting, M&A risk assessment, and civil and criminal litigation strategy.

Managing Partner Sanggon Kim commented, “Mr. Lee is a rare professional with deep expertise in both the legal and industrial sectors. In particular, his experience as a legal head at the global corporation will be a valuable asset to our clients.”

Mr. Lee added, “Through my return to the firm, I aim to contribute to proactively and effectively addressing the complex legal challenges faced by companies.”
 

Sangrok Shin has joined Lee & Ko bringing significant experience in policy development and regulatory enforcement gained through years of service in senior roles at the Financial Services Commission.

At Lee & Ko, Mr. Shin takes a role in the Financial Group, focusing on regulatory consulting, administrative responses, investigations, and litigation for financial institutions, fintech companies, insurance providers, and asset management firms. 

After earning a degree in Public Administration from Yonsei University and a master’s degree from Hanyang University Graduate School, Mr. Shin began his legal career upon completing the Judicial Research and Training Institute (35th). He subsequently served at the National Tax Tribunal of the Ministry of Finance and Economy and at the Tax Tribunal under the Prime Minister’s Office. Beginning in 2012, he spent approximately 14 years at the Financial Services Commission and its affiliated agencies, managing key operational and policy functions and developing deep expertise in financial regulation.

Notably, Mr. Shin held positions at the Financial Services Commission, including Head of the Capital Market Investigation Coordination Division, Head of the Financial Data Policy Division, Head of the Regulatory Enforcement Division at the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit, and Head of the Review Support Team, while also gaining experience in the Insurance Division and the Financial Dispute Response Team. His leadership in major international dispute responses and investigations, including the Lone Star ISDS Case, is expected to serve as a substantial asset in navigating complex regulatory risks for domestic and international financial institutions and corporations. 

Managing Partner Sanggon Kim (Judicial Research and Training Institute, 23rd) commented, “The addition of Attorney Sangrok Shin further enhances the capabilities of Lee & Ko’s Financial Group. His firsthand insights from policy implementation and practical expertise offer a valuable opportunity to provide clients with even more sophisticated legal services. In particular, bringing such talent on board is exceptionally timely, as the increasingly complex financial regulatory environment demands proactive and strategic responses.”
 

Lee & Ko has appointed Hyun Dong Lee, who offers substantial practical experience in corporate compliance and criminal advisory. 

Mr. Lee graduated from Seoul National University, College of Law and completed the Judicial Research and Training Institute (19th). He later served as a prosecutor at the Busan, Seoul, and Incheon District Prosecutors’ Offices, where he developed expertise in investigations and criminal justice. He further broadened his global legal perspective through advanced studies at the University of Michigan Law School and Duke University School of Law (LL.M.).

After joining Samsung Group in 2000, Mr. Lee held several senior positions, including Executive Director of the Corporate Restructuring Headquarters, Senior Executive Director of the Group Legal Office, and Vice President, where he was responsible for developing key group-level legal strategies and overseeing risk management. In particular, he played a pivotal role in establishing the compliance framework—one of the core pillars of ESG management—thereby contributing significantly to the embedding of a culture of compliance across Samsung Group.

Beginning in 2016, he acted as Vice President and Head of the Compliance Management Office at Samsung Heavy Industries, and from 2020, he assumed the role of Compliance Officer at Samsung C&T, making significant contributions to enhancing the group’s overall compliance standards.

Mr. Lee will become a member of Lee & Ko’s Corporate Advisory Group, where he will concentrate on advising across the full spectrum of compliance matters, including internal investigations, anti-bribery measures, governance framework development, criminal risk management, and responses to audits and regulatory inquiries. He will place particular emphasis on delivering practical, actionable solutions tailored to the complex regulatory environments confronting multinational corporations and large business groups. 

Managing Partner Sanggon Kim (Judicial Research and Training Institute, 23rd) commented, “Mr. Lee is a rare practitioner who has advanced compliance not merely as legal advice, but as an integral component of corporate management strategy. As governance expectations rise for both domestic and international companies, his knowledge and insights will provide substantial value to our clients.”

Mr. Lee added, “Building on my background as a corporate lawyer, I aim to strengthen practical support across the firm to help companies achieve trusted and responsible management. Together with Lee & Ko, I look forward to leading the delivery of legal services that promote sustainable growth and foster transparent corporate governance.” 
 

To strengthen its investigation and trial defense capabilities, Lee & Ko has recruited Ho-dong Cha, former Senior Prosecutor of the Seosan Branch of the Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office (Judicial Research and Training Institute, Class 38), as a member of its Criminal Practice Group.

Mr. Cha has served in key positions across major prosecution bodies, including the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, earning deep trust and respect from his colleagues and peers. During his 14-year tenure as a prosecutor, he was recognized for his outstanding expertise in anti-corruption and state-of-the-art investigations, as well as in legal analysis and interpretation within the field of criminal legislation.

In particular, Mr. Cha founded the prosecution’s first AI Blockchain Community and AI Criminal Law Research Society, and published investigation and enforcement manuals on virtual assets, thereby building exceptional expertise in the fields of artificial intelligence and digital assets. More recently, he also led the drafting of the Prosecution’s Serious Industrial Accident Investigation Manual.

Mr. Cha earned his LL.B. and master’s degree in law from Korea University, followed by an LL.M. from Duke University School of Law in the United States, and is also admitted to the New York State Bar. Since his appointment as a prosecutor in 2012, he has served at various key posts, including the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office, the Special Investigation Division 3 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, the Criminal Litigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, the Constitutional Issue Research Task Force at the Ministry of Justice’s Prosecution Bureau, the Criminal Division 7 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, the Planning and Coordination Department of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, and as Senior Prosecutor at the Seosan Branch of the Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office.

Building on his extensive experience, Mr. Cha will handle a wide range of matters within Lee & Ko’s Criminal Practice Group, focusing on sophisticated white collar crimes, including virtual assets, as well as serious industrial accident cases.

Sang Gon Kim, Managing Partner of Lee & Ko, stated, “With the addition of Mr. Cha, we have further strengthened our Criminal Practice Group. We will continue our efforts to maintain Lee & Ko’s position as the leading firm in this practice area.” He added, “Lee & Ko will continue to boldly invest in recruiting and developing top legal talent to ensure that we provide industry-leading legal services across all practice areas, including criminal law.”

Lee & Ko expanded its Criminal Practice Group last September by recruiting Hoo Gon Kim, former Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, known as one of the top prosecutors in special investigations. The firm has also recently brought on Hun Heo, former Head of the Public Investigation Division at the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office, and Yeong Cheol Kim, former Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office, further strengthening its competitiveness in criminal practice.

The New Year 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse, has arrived. I wish all of you good health, happiness, and prosperity in the year ahead.

The year ahead is likely to present considerable challenges and uncertainties, as the political, economic, and social repercussions that began in 2025 continue to unfold. Yet our strength as a society has always been demonstrated by our ability to overcome recurring hardships, move forward, and rise to new heights, and there is no reason to believe that this year will be any different. Lee & Ko will likewise do its utmost to faithfully fulfill its role as a trusted law firm and, in doing so, provide meaningful support to your efforts in these trying times, however modest that contribution may be.

The Year of the Fire Horse is said to be marked by powerful fiery energy. Drawing on the vitality and dynamism symbolized by the Fire Horse, may we all find the strength to break through the obstacles ahead and achieve meaningful progress and accomplishments in the year to come.
Thank you and best wishes.

Sang Gon Kim
Managing Partner, Lee & Ko