Recent Developments

On August 25, 2025, The Korea Economic Business Magazine announced the results of a special survey conducted among attorneys at Korea’s seven leading law firms, in which Attorney Jin So of Lee & Ko was recognized as a “Role-Model Lawyer.” The magazine noted that after sixteen years of service as a public prosecutor, he entered private practice in 2012 as a criminal defense specialist, guided by a resolve to treat every case as his own. In the criminal field, where practitioners must contend with a vast array of complex matters, he believes that outcomes are shaped by the depth of commitment invested in each case. He underscores that genuine advocacy begins with the unwavering conviction that “this is my case and my responsibility.”

On August 25, 2025, The Korea Economic Business Magazine announced the results of a special survey conducted among attorneys at Korea’s seven leading law firms. In the survey naming the “Eight Role-Model Lawyers,” four attorneys from Lee & Ko — Managing Partner Sanggon Kim, Attorney Jin So, Attorney Un Ho Kim, and Managing Partner Ho Joon Moon — were included on the distinguished list.

In addition, in the survey designating “The Lawyer of Lawyers,” ten attorneys from Lee & Ko were honored. The Korea Economic Business Magazine reported that, true to its reputation as a traditional powerhouse in M&A, respondents highlighted the negotiation expertise of corporate specialists such as Attorney Hee Woong Kim (JRTI 27th, M&A) and Managing Partner Ho Joon Moon (JRTI 27th, M&A). Attorney Jeong-Ho Sun (JRTI 37th, Antitrust & Competition) was highly regarded for his collaborative spirit and integrity, while Attorney Jae Baek Choi (JRTI 38th, Banking) was commended for his thorough understanding of cases and professional competence. Attorney Jeonghoon Hong (2nd Bar Exam, IP) was further esteemed for his vigorous advocacy and steadfast dedication to client matters. It was also observed that Attorneys Hwan Kyoung Ko (JRTI 31st , IT), Minsoo Kim (JRTI 43th, Healthcare), Soo Yeon Park (4th Bar Exam, IP), Jongsoo Yoon (JRTI 22nd, IT) and Chang Soo Jin (JRTI 21st, Labor & Employment) earned recognition from both peers and competitors.
 

August 25, 2025
In a special survey conducted by Hankyung Business among attorneys from Korea’s top seven law firms, Sanggon Kim, managing partner at Lee & Ko, was selected as a “Role Model Lawyer.” Hankyung Business noted, “Managing Partner Sanggon Kim is often described as the lifelong figure of Lee & Ko, and the leading expert in the M&A field.” It added, “Since joining Lee & Ko in 1994 as an associate attorney and rising to his current position as managing partner, Mr. Kim has steadfastly followed one path and is regarded as the most respected mentor within the firm. With his unwavering dedication and expertise developed by focusing on a single area, he is a role model even to many lawyers at competing firms, being one of the most prominent star lawyers with the longest track record in the Ms&A industry.”

August 25, 2025
In a special survey conducted by Hankyung Business among attorneys from Korea’s top seven law firms, Ho Joon Moon, managing partner at Lee & Ko, was selected as a “Role Model Lawyer.” Hankyung Business stated, “Under the leadership of Mr. Moon, Lee & Ko’s Corporate M&A team has been actively involved in numerous high-profile transactions in Korea.” It also mentioned, “The team has earned a reputation as Korea’s leading M&A practice, having successfully handled major deals such as the acquisition of Osstem Implant by private equity firms MBK Partners and UCK Partners, and the establishment of an EV battery joint venture between LG Energy Solution and Stellantis.”
 

Daehoon Koo of Lee & Ko gave a lecture on the topic “Changes Brought by the Amended Commercial Act” at the 2025 Securities Forum hosted by capital markets media outlet Dealsite on the 20th. He stated, “With the implementation of the revised Commercial Act, directors are now required to thoroughly consider the impact of their decisions on minority shareholders and stock prices, and to document this process.” He emphasized, “Since directors must comply with the duty of loyalty, they are inevitably expected to make shareholder-friendly decisions. For the system to take root, it is important that the judiciary interprets and applies the amended provisions in line with their intent.”

August 18, 2025
NEWSTOMATO reported an interview with attorneys Ho Joon Moon, Daehoon Koo, Kyungchun Kim, and Tae Jung Kim from the Commercial Law Reform Task Force (TF) of Lee & Ko. Managing partner Ho Joon Moon stated, “In May, Lee & Ko established a Commercial Law Reform Task Force. We anticipate that the revised Commercial Act will bring significant changes to existing corporate legal practices and the capital market. Particularly under the current administration, there has been an active push to revise the Commercial Act, prompting a need for deeply considered and practical countermeasures that harmonize legal practice and precedents.” He added, “Currently, more than 10 attorneys and experts specializing in corporate law and M&A, with practical experience and policy expertise, have been deployed to respond to market changes. We are closely following the revision process, conducting in-depth research on the content and related issues, and exploring application strategies tailored to individual companies, with the goal of providing clients with practical support.”

On July 8, 2025, The Law Times reported that Lee & Ko had entered into MOU with GSIL to collaborate on compliance related to industrial safety and serious accidents.

According to the article, “Through this agreement, the two parties will leverage diverse on-site safety and health data to predict accident risks and enable real-time responses. They plan to offer high-quality integrated services, including consulting and tailored smart solutions, to address domestic serious accident regulations and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).”

July 2, 2025
Legal Times has reported on the M&A advisory performance of Lee & Ko for the first half of the year. According to Legal Times, “In Bloomberg’s 2025 first-half M&A league table based on deal value, Lee & Ko advised on 53 deals totaling USD 7.611 billion, holding a 16.5% market share and securing the top position.”

July 2, 2025
Dealsite has reported in detail on the M&A legal advisory performance of Lee & Ko for the first half of this year. It mentioned, “Lee & Ko secured the top spot in M&A legal advisory with KRW 17.5 trillion in deals, surpassing longtime leader Kim & Chang. Lee & Ko overtook Kim & Chang by KRW 174.2 billion in legal advisory performance during the first half of the year, claiming the lead in M&A rankings. Notably, in the second quarter alone, Lee & Ko ranked as the undisputed No. 1, pulling off a dramatic reversal from a pursuer to a market leader.” The report added, “This success is attributed to Lee & Ko’s focus on mega cross-border deals and advisory work involving foreign acquirers, which enabled it to outpace Kim & Chang. Industry observers say this marks the end of Kim & Chang’s long-standing dominance and signals a shift in the landscape of the legal market.”

July 1, 2025
The Bell reported in detail on the achievements of Lee & Ko in legal advice involving domestic mergers, spin-offs, and joint venture during the first half of this year. According to The Bell, “Based on the league table for the first half of 2025, the total completed transaction volume for mergers, spin-offs, and JV deals amounted to KRW 5.2207 trillion,” and “Lee & Ko topped the M&A, spin-off, and JV category for the first half of 2025 by completing four transactions with a total deal size of KRW 3.5815 trillion, securing an adjusted market share of 47.63%.” The report added, “A major driver behind the increase in transaction volume was the JV establishment between LG Energy Solution and Stellantis NV, advised by Lee & Ko. This was not only the only trillion-KRW transaction in the M&A/spin-off/JV sector in the first quarter, but also a large-scale deal nearing KRW 3.5 trillion.” It continued, “Lee & Ko also contributed to the absorption-type merger of Blue Whale Software Holdings by Skylake Longterm Strategic Investment III Limited (KRW 51.5 billion), and the merger of HD Hyundai and HD Hyundai Future Partners (KRW 28.4 billion).”
 

June 30, 2025

Seoul Economic Daily reported that Kyung Gyoon Park of Lee & Ko has been selected as one of the "Best Lawyers of the First Half of the Year" for providing advisory on key M&A deals. The article introduces Mr. Park as an M&A specialist, noting that he is "a guarantee of successful negotiations, bridging both large corporations and private equity funds (PEFs)." Seoul Economic Daily also mentioned, “Since joining Lee & Ko in 2013, Mr. Park has advised on transactions for major corporations such as LG, SK, HD Hyundai, Lotte, Shinsegae, as well as PEFs. His successful engagements include advising on JKL’s investment in Pluglink, Astra Asset Management’s acquisition of KC, JKL’s acquisition of Come In Wash, Eum Private Equity’s sale of Koryo Nobel Explosives, and Shinsegae International’s acquisition of Amuse.”
 

June 30, 2025

Korea Economic Daily reported that Korea Wafer Holdings (represented by Lee & Ko) has successfully acquired the management rights of 3S KOREA, the only domestic KOSDAQ-listed Front Opening Shipping Box (FOSB) manufacturer and the 6th largest company by market share in the global market. The article stated, "From the preparation phase of the hostile takeover, Korea Wafer Holdings, represented by Lee & Ko, conducted a detailed analysis of 3S KOREA’s governance vulnerabilities. While the existing management of 3S KOREA actively defended against the takeover for an extended period, they ultimately agreed to a settlement in early June, concluding that further resistance was futile. On June 26, at the regular shareholders’ meeting, all of the individuals nominated by Korea Wafer Holdings were appointed as directors, fully transferring the management control." 

Dajoo Jung, Kyungchun Kim, and Geun Hyung Yoon, attorneys of Lee & Ko who provided legal advice for this case, stated, "It is extremely rare to find a precedent where an attacker accumulates shares in the market to become the largest shareholder and then successfully executes a comprehensive attack to complete a hostile takeover in such a short period." They further noted, "This is especially a rare case where an attacker has acquired the management control of a listed company through a hostile takeover, which will serve as a valuable reference for future hostile takeovers and management rights disputes."