Shipping
Asia-Pacific Guide 2025 : South Korea
Band 1
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+ 82 2 3703 1114About
Provided by Kim & Chang
The Maritime Practice of Kim & Chang is comprised of professionals, including Korean and foreign lawyers, with expertise in a complete spectrum of cross-border/multijurisdictional maritime law matters, including ocean policy, fisheries, port and marine leisure.
The Ship Finance Practice, with around 20 dedicated attorneys and specialists that are supported by a team of experienced paralegals, offers a practical, integrated, and multidisciplinary approach to ship finance transactions. Our firm provides a comprehensive solution to ship finance needs in various areas including, mergers and acquisitions, insolvency, regulatory issues on foreign exchange, tax, customs disputes on energy, and accounting issues of various domestic and foreign shipping and shipbuilding companies.
Key Services:
- Marine Casualties
- Dry Cases
- Shipbuilding/Offshore Construction Disputes
- Regulatory Issues in the Shipping Industry
- Asset financing, including, loan, lease, share issuance, structured finance, and ECA Facility;
- Restructuring and merger and acquisition of domestic and foreign companies;
- Sale and purchase of new buildings and chartering of vessels;
- Incorporation of foreign SPCs, collective investment organizations, investment bodies/organizations, financing and tax issues;
- Foreign exchange law and regulations, tariffs, international sanctions and accounting practices; and
- Litigation in ship finance transactions.
Chambers Review
Kim & Chang has a market-leading legal practice with excellent capabilities in financing and contentious maritime matters in South Korea. The team advises an impressive range of high-profile shipbuilders, P&I clubs and insurance companies. The practice's dispute capabilities encompass both wet and dry work, and its financing expertise covers new builds and loan transactions. It also assists with insolvency and enforcement actions. The firm is particularly noted for its handling of multi-jurisdictional issues.
Work Highlights
- Kim & Chang defended Dongryun Logistics against five lawsuits filed by truck owners seeking the return of service fees that the client received before the safe fare system was discontinued.
- Kim & Chang advised a consortium of banks on senior term loan facilities for HMM to finance HMM’s acquisition of twelve container ships to be built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Kim & Chang is the largest law firm in Korea and has a large number of experts.The team offers excellent legal services and solutions that are well considered in practice."
"One of the aspects that sets Kim & Chang lawyers apart is their specialisation and extensive experience in the shipbuilding industry, including vessel construction and delivery."
"Kim & Chang is the largest law firm in Korea and has a large number of experts.The team offers excellent legal services and solutions that are well considered in practice."
"One of the aspects that sets Kim & Chang lawyers apart is their specialisation and extensive experience in the shipbuilding industry, including vessel construction and delivery."
Notable Practitioners
Chung Byung-Suk is co-head of Kim & Chang's shipping practice. He covers a wide variety of wet and dry shipping disputes on behalf of P&I clubs, insurance companies and ship owners. Recently he has counselled Korean shipping companies on disputes over losses caused by the inability to fulfil certain transportation contracts due to the US/UK/EU sanctions placed on Russia.
Lee Jin Hong is an experienced maritime lawyer in South Korea. He remains active on shipping insurance matters, including wet and dry disputes.
Lee Chul-Won has extensive experience handling shipbuilding, charter party and bill of lading disputes in the Korean market. He is adept at acting for shipbuilders and P&I clubs.
"Chul-Won Lee has many experiences handling complicated shipping cases and is knowledgeable and client-friendly."
"He has extensive experience in winning litigation and arbitration and has a rich understanding of the shipping industry, litigation skills, excellent strategy and negotiation skills."
Yoon Hi Sun is co-head of Kim & Chang's shipping group. He is renowned for his ship financing expertise and is regularly involved in high-value finance transactions on behalf of Korean and international lenders.
"Yoon Hi Sun is very experienced in shipping finance and, on the basis of his experience, he always provides highly quality services in the most efficient way."
"He is an expert in the field and a go-to person for me."
Lee Jae-Bok has great expertise in contentious and financing matters in shipping. Drawing on his previous experience at a P&I club, he competently provides counsel in shipping insurance cases. He is also UK-qualified.
"He is service-minded and has excellent expertise."
Kim Min Chul is a long-standing member of Kim & Chang's finance team, working on a broad range of matters in shipping finance, M&A and foreign direct investment.
"He has extensive experience and deep understanding of this area."
"He's very smart and has a pro-client approach."
Ranked Lawyers at
Kim & Chang
South Korea
Members
Provided by Kim & Chang