Corporate Business Center

    YK Law Firm · Corporate Business Center

    Building trust today.Shaping a responsible future together.

    YK's Corporate Business Center brings together lawyers across practice areas to advise on business operations, transactions and disputes. We help clients make informed decisions that reflect their commitments and responsibilities to society.

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    • Disputes & Insolvency
    • Finance & M&A
    • Tax & Customs
    • Labor, Employment & IP
    • Antitrust, Public Policy & Regulation

    YK LAW FIRM CORPORATE BUSINESS CENTER

    ABOUT THE CENTER

    Understanding your business.
    Helping you make informed decisions.

    Legal issues are shaped by business strategy, day-to-day operations and stakeholder interests. We begin with your circumstances and objectives, assessing both the immediate issues and their longer-term implications.

    We bring together experience across practice areas to advise on operations, transactions and disputes, helping clients make informed, responsible decisions.

    Explore our practices
    01

    Legal analysis informed by your business

    We identify key legal issues and priorities in light of your business structure, operating environment and strategic objectives.

    02

    Coordinated advice across practices

    We draw on expertise in finance, M&A, tax and employment to develop a coordinated response to interconnected legal issues.

    03

    Protecting business continuity

    We consider both the immediate legal problem and its implications for future business activities to support continuity of operations.

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    We advise on business operations, transactions, investments and regulatory compliance, and represent clients in disputes and litigation.
    Our advice reflects each client's objectives and responsibilities to society.

    Litigation & Investigations

    We advise on disputes arising from contracts and business operations, with a focus on the interests of companies and their executives and employees, and on business continuity.

    Customs

    We advise on customs valuation, rules of origin and clearance, and represent clients in customs investigations and disputes.

    Tax

    We advise on the tax implications of business transactions and operations, and represent clients in tax audits, administrative appeals and litigation.

    Finance

    We advise on financing, investments and financial regulation, addressing transaction risks and investor protection.

    Mergers & Acquisitions

    We advise on transaction structures, conduct legal due diligence and negotiate agreements in light of your acquisition or investment objectives, with attention to post-closing operations.

    Public Policy

    We assess how legislative and policy developments affect your business and advise on responses that reflect stakeholder interests and the public interest.

    Antitrust & Competition

    We review business practices and internal policies, advise on antitrust compliance and represent clients in investigations and disputes.

    Restructuring & Insolvency

    We advise financially distressed businesses on rehabilitation, bankruptcy and restructuring, taking account of stakeholder interests.

    Intellectual Property

    We advise on the protection and use of technology, brands and content, and represent clients in intellectual property disputes.

    Labor & Employment

    We advise on employment policies and labor relations, and represent clients in workplace disputes, taking account of operational needs and employee rights.

    Cybersecurity & Data Privacy

    We advise on data privacy, cybersecurity and the use of data, including breach response and internal compliance frameworks.

    ESG, Environmental & Regulatory

    We advise on ESG, environmental regulation and policy developments, with attention to legal obligations and business sustainability.

    OUR APPROACH

    Legal advice informed by your business.
    Practical guidance for your next decision.

    We assess legal requirements alongside your commercial objectives, practical constraints and stakeholder interests. We explain the available options and help identify a workable course of action and the next steps.

    Identifying legal priorities

    We examine your business structure, commercial relationships and objectives to identify the legal issues that require attention.

    Assessing options and risks

    We compare the available options, assessing their legal risks, costs, timing, feasibility and effects on stakeholders.

    Planning for implementation and continuity

    We assess contractual obligations, internal controls and commercial relationships to identify the steps needed after advice is delivered or a dispute is resolved. Our focus includes continuity of business operations.

    REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

    Representative Matters

    Our work spans transactions, investments, regulatory matters and disputes, with advice informed by each client's business and legal priorities.
    The following matters illustrate how we support clients' business decisions and operations.

    KEY PROFESSIONALS

    Our Professionals

    We combine an understanding of your business and its legal issues with experience across practice areas to support informed decisions.

    Soon-il Kwon, Managing PartnerFormer Justice, Supreme Court of KoreaSoon-il KwonManaging Partner
    Chang-ho Chung, Managing PartnerFormer Judge, International Criminal Court (ICC)Chang-ho ChungManaging Partner
    Dong-jin Kim, PartnerFormer Presiding JudgeDong-jin KimPartner
    Eun-su Gu, Senior AdvisorFormer Commissioner, Seoul Metropolitan Police AgencyEun-su GuSenior Advisor
    Oh-sang Kwon, Senior AdvisorFormer Vice Minister of Food and Drug SafetyOh-sang KwonSenior Advisor
    Jun-seok Kim, Senior AdvisorFormer President, Korea Maritime Transportation Safety AuthorityJun-seok KimSenior Advisor
    Meet more YK professionals (Korean) Opens in a new window

    OFFICES

    Discuss your business challenges
    with YK.

    Our 31 offices across Korea work as one firm, bringing together teams across practice areas
    to advise on the legal issues facing our clients.

    Explore our offices (Korean)Opens in a new window

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Litigation & Investigations

    We represent companies and their executives and employees in business disputes and criminal proceedings. Our work includes negotiations, mediation and litigation, informed by an analysis of the facts and evidence. We also advise on provisional remedies, including attachment and injunctions, and on judgment enforcement, with attention to business continuity.

    Key Services

    • Corporate crime: embezzlement, breach of trust, tax evasion, accounting fraud and market manipulation
    • Corruption and bribery: offering or receiving bribes and accepting improper benefits in breach of duty
    • Competition and labor matters: bid rigging, unfair trade practices, unfair labor practices and unpaid wages
    • Industrial accidents and safety incidents: occupational safety violations and death or injury caused by occupational negligence
    • Intellectual property offenses: trade secret misappropriation and trademark or copyright violations

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Customs

    We advise on tariff classification, customs valuation, rules of origin and clearance, and represent clients in customs investigations, assessment appeals and criminal proceedings. Our advice draws on transaction records and the basis for assessments. We also advise on free trade agreements and customs declarations, taking account of supply chains and cross-border business relationships.

    Key Services

    • Customs investigations: strategic responses to investigations and assessments, including administrative challenges
    • Origin and valuation: origin verification, customs valuation and Advance Customs Valuation Arrangements (ACVA) for related-party transactions
    • Free trade agreements and trade regulation: advice on FTA benefits, regulatory compliance and business-specific strategies
    • Customs criminal defense: smuggling, customs duty evasion and price manipulation cases
    • Related tax advice: coordinated review of customs duties, VAT, individual consumption tax and other relevant taxes

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Tax

    We advise on the tax implications of transactions, investments, restructuring and business succession. We represent clients in tax audits, claims for assessment corrections, administrative appeals and litigation, drawing on the substance of transactions and supporting records. We also help clients assess tax risks and maintain effective tax controls.

    Key Services

    • Advice on audits relating to inheritance, gift, corporate income, individual income and value-added taxes
    • Objections to tax assessments; administrative litigation challenging assessments or refusals to correct them; defense in tax crime proceedings
    • Tax planning for business succession, including inheritance and gift planning and advice on asset valuation
    • Tax analysis and advice for acquisitions, mergers, demergers, business transfers, restructuring and real estate investment
    • Audit response and preventive tax reviews involving the National Tax Service, Korea Customs Service and local authorities, across corporate income, VAT, inheritance, gift, capital gains, income and local taxes
    • Claims to correct overreported or overpaid taxes, related advice and requests for tax rulings from the Ministry of Economy and Finance or National Tax Service
    • Administrative tax challenges, including pre-assessment reviews, objections and appeals to the National Tax Service, Tax Tribunal and Board of Audit and Inspection
    • Administrative tax litigation challenging assessments and refusals to correct assessments
    • Civil tax litigation: recovery of overpayments, avoidance of fraudulent transfers and objections to attachment for tax collection
    • Criminal tax defense: tax evasion, false invoices and aggravated tax offenses, from investigations through trial

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Finance

    We advise on financing and investment transactions, securities offerings, listings and financial services licensing. We review transaction structures and documentation, disclosure obligations, internal controls and investor protection, and represent clients in regulatory investigations, enforcement proceedings and financial disputes. Our teams coordinate on related financial, tax and criminal law issues.

    Key Services

    • Advice on lending structures and issues; drafting and negotiation of loan documentation
    • Advice on offerings of corporate bonds, convertible bonds, bonds with warrants and exchangeable bonds, as well as redeemable convertible preferred shares (RCPS) and convertible preferred shares (CPS)
    • Advice on pre-IPO investment and acquisition financing
    • Assistance with regulatory licenses, approvals, filings and notifications
    • IPO and listing advice, including technology-based and profit-exempt listing routes and Korean listings by overseas companies
    • Advice on investment-caution designations, delisting grounds and listing eligibility, including objections and remediation plans
    • Responses to Korea Exchange measures concerning disclosure penalties, trading suspensions and disclosure violations
    • Advice on investigations into market manipulation, insider trading and other unfair capital market practices
    • Advice to financial institutions and their personnel on regulatory inspections, supervision and enforcement proceedings
    • Advice on establishing and operating collective investment schemes
    • Establishment and registration of investment advisory businesses, including branches of foreign investment advisers
    • Drafting and review of investment advisory, discretionary investment management and asset management agreements
    • Analysis of derivatives regulation and transaction structures, and design of appropriate structures
    • Drafting, review and negotiation of ISDA Master Agreement Schedules, Credit Support Annexes and Confirmations
    • Derivatives disputes and litigation, and advice on regulatory inspections, investigations and enforcement proceedings

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Mergers & Acquisitions

    We advise on acquisitions and investments, from transaction structuring and legal due diligence to agreements, merger control filings and regulatory approvals. We address financial, tax, employment and other legal issues in light of the transaction objectives and target business. We reflect due diligence findings in contractual protections and assess post-closing integration and potential disputes.

    Key Services

    • M&A transaction structuring, including investment and exit structures
    • Legal due diligence on target companies, drafting and negotiation of M&A agreements, merger control filings and regulatory approvals
    • Fundraising advice for startups and venture companies, including agreements and negotiations, and resolution of M&A disputes through arbitration and litigation
    • Establishment and registration of funds, including private collective investment schemes; representation of GPs and LPs on constitutional documents and partnership arrangements
    • Buyouts, startup investments and co-investments in domestic and overseas businesses with strategic investors
    • Structuring and strategy for overseas investment, including foreign exchange and tax advice
    • Planning and coordination of overseas counsel, including target due diligence, and advice on local laws and investment conditions
    • Drafting, review and negotiation of overseas investment documents; advice on governmental approvals and filings and liaison with relevant authorities

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Public Policy

    We advise on legislative and policy developments affecting business operations and investment plans. Our work includes proposed legislation and local ordinances, regulatory submissions, requests for official interpretations and administrative appeals. We also advise on National Assembly audits, policy forums and public communications, helping clients present their positions through the appropriate procedures.

    Key Services

    Legislative advice involving the National Assembly, central government and local authorities

    • Defining legislative objectives and preparing draft proposals
    • Advice on member-sponsored bills and legislative review affecting clients
    • Advice on statutes, enforcement decrees, ministerial regulations, notices and announcements
    • Advice on the enactment and amendment of local ordinances
    • Support for submissions on proposed legislation and analysis of procedural issues and response options
    • Stakeholder and impact analysis, alternatives and comprehensive recommendations at each legislative stage

    Regulatory advice

    • Monitoring regulatory legislation and amendments; legal and policy analysis and submissions
    • Assistance and representation in objections, administrative appeals and other review procedures

    Advice on requests for official interpretations

    • Advice on statutory interpretation and requests for official interpretations from the relevant ministries
    • Advice on requests for official interpretations of local ordinances and rules

    Advice on National Assembly audits

    • Advice on attendance and testimony by witnesses and other participants
    • Review of submissions and advice on press releases

    Public affairs services

    • Development and implementation of public affairs communications strategies
    • Planning policy forums and consultations and presenting views

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Antitrust & Competition

    We advise on antitrust and competition issues arising from contracts and business practices, including cartels, unfair trade practices, subcontracting, franchising and retail distribution. We represent clients in Korea Fair Trade Commission investigations and hearings, and in related litigation. Our work also includes internal policy reviews and compliance training.

    Key Services

    • Civil and administrative litigation, including competition damages claims and challenges to Korea Fair Trade Commission decisions
    • Responses to Korea Fair Trade Commission and prosecutorial investigations and defense in criminal proceedings
    • Cartel investigation responses, including on-site inspections, leniency applications and advice on statutory interpretation and compliance
    • Representation in cartel adjudications, administrative litigation, criminal investigations and trials, and civil proceedings
    • Advice on subcontracting, franchising and large-scale retail distribution; representation in investigations, hearings, objections and related administrative, civil and criminal proceedings
    • Assessment and mitigation of unfair trade practice risks; responses to investigations and hearings and representation in related litigation

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Restructuring & Insolvency

    We advise financially distressed businesses and other stakeholders on corporate rehabilitation and bankruptcy. We assess business operations and creditor-debtor relationships, assist with rehabilitation plans and related contracts, and handle disputes arising from insolvency proceedings. Our work also addresses the effects on operations, asset realization and distributions to creditors.

    Key Services

    • Corporate rehabilitation and bankruptcy
    • Representation of debtors or creditors in petitions to commence corporate rehabilitation proceedings and in responses to those petitions
    • Preparation of rehabilitation plans and assistance with court approval
    • Insolvency-related contracts: advice on creditor protection and limiting debtor exposure
    • Bankruptcy petitions and related litigation on behalf of debtors or creditors
    • Asset realization and equitable distributions to creditors
    • Resolution of disputes arising during rehabilitation and bankruptcy

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Intellectual Property

    We advise on the scope, validity and use of intellectual property rights, and represent clients in infringement disputes. Our work includes demand letters, negotiations, injunctions, damages claims and criminal proceedings. We advise both rights holders and parties defending infringement claims, as well as on licensing agreements and IP commercialization.

    Key Services

    • Interim relief and civil litigation seeking injunctions and damages for patent, trademark, design and copyright infringement
    • Criminal complaints, investigation defense and trials concerning patent, trademark, design and copyright infringement
    • Infringement assessments and formal warning letters concerning patents, trademarks, designs and copyright
    • Interim relief and civil litigation seeking injunctions and damages for unfair competition
    • Criminal complaints, investigation defense and trials concerning unfair competition
    • Licensing negotiations and review of licensing agreements
    • Advice on IP protection, enforcement and commercialization strategies

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Labor & Employment

    Employment matters are closely connected to workplace culture and labor relations as well as working conditions and HR policies. YK advises on employment contracts, work rules, workforce adjustments and disciplinary procedures in light of the client's industry, scale and operations. We handle collective bargaining, Labor Relations Commission proceedings and litigation, combining policy review with dispute resolution to support predictable HR management and stable labor relations.

    Key Services

    • Advice on individual employment relations, including contracts, dismissal, wages and HR management, and on corporate restructuring and workforce adjustments
    • Review of workplace rules and HR policies, and advice on employment practices
    • Internal investigations into misconduct and advice on disciplinary procedures
    • Advice on collective bargaining, collective agreements and responses to industrial action
    • Labor commission relief proceedings and civil, criminal and administrative employment litigation
    • Advice on other employment and labor law matters

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    Cybersecurity & Data Privacy

    We advise on data collection, use and cross-border transfers, as well as the legal structure of data-driven services. Our work includes privacy notices, internal compliance frameworks and responses to data breaches, regulatory investigations and damages claims. We assess legal and technical issues together to help clients manage privacy and cybersecurity risks.

    Key Services

    • Privacy protection and breach response
    • Response to personal data breaches and pursuit or defense of damages claims
    • Preparation of privacy notices and internal privacy management plans
    • Responses to investigations by privacy and communications regulators
    • Information security and systems compliance
    • Legal compliance analysis of information processing systems
    • Advice on security frameworks and certifications, including ISMS and ISO 27001
    • Data use and regulatory compliance
    • Legal reviews of data-driven services, including big data, AI and MyData
    • Advice on location information business licensing and approvals relating to international data transfers
    • Advice on overseas regulations, including the GDPR and CCPA

    PRACTICES

    Our Practices

    ESG, Environmental & Regulatory

    We advise on ESG policies, disclosures and environmental law, taking account of each client's business. We represent clients in regulatory investigations, environmental disputes and challenges to administrative measures. We also assess legislative and policy developments and stakeholder interests to help clients translate their responsibilities into practical steps.

    Key Services

    ESG and sustainability advice

    • ESG strategy and internal policy development
    • Assistance with ESG disclosures and sustainability reports
    • Advice on engagement with ESG rating agencies and strategies to improve ratings
    • Legal review of corporate social responsibility initiatives

    Environmental advice and dispute resolution

    • Advice on environmental impact assessments, waste management and air and water pollution
    • Representation before environmental dispute mediation bodies and in civil and criminal proceedings
    • Advice on emissions allowances, RE100, green bonds and environmental certifications
    • Responses to investigations by the Ministry of Environment, local authorities and other regulators

    Regulatory and legislative advice

    • Monitoring government and National Assembly legislative developments and preparing response strategies
    • Advice on regulatory interpretation and requests for official interpretations
    • Objections and administrative litigation challenging measures such as penalty surcharges and business suspensions
    • Tailored regulatory responses for industries including food, energy and ICT

    Cooperation with public bodies and local authorities

    • Advice on the enactment and amendment of ESG and environmental ordinances
    • Assessment of and responses to regulatory risks for businesses participating in public projects
    • Public communications strategies for National Assembly audits, policy forums and related engagements

    Environmental and energy projects require coordinated consideration of business structures, permits, regulation and disputes. Visit YK's Environment & Energy Strategy Center for further details on key issues and legal support at each stage of a project.

    Explore the Environment & Energy Strategy Center (Korean)