Lee & Ko’s Antitrust & Competition Practice Group successfully represented a prominent Korean insurance company in criminal proceedings concerning alleged bid rigging in connection with insurance contract bids issued by the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH). Following the acquittal by the trial court, Lee & Ko successfully defended the acquittal on appeal.

Despite the existence of leniency applications submitted by certain participants, Lee & Ko carefully analyzed the credibility and reliability of the statements and evidence. The appellate court concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish the existence of collusion. This case is particularly noteworthy as the acquittal was upheld not because of a lack of intent, but because the Prosecutor’s Office failed to sufficiently prove there was a collusive agreement.

This outcome demonstrates Lee & Ko’s command of complex evidentiary issues, rigorous factual analysis, and comprehensive defense strategy in the trial and appellate court proceedings. Lee & Ko systematically challenged the evidence, including leniency statements, by scrutinizing their admissibility and credibility and persuasively highlighting the limitations. The acquittal reflects the Antitrust & Competition Practice Group's depth of expertise in complex cartel defense, from evidence analysis to appellate advocacy.

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