Employment | Asia-Pacific

Kim & Chang is a top-tier law firm in the Korean market, with a deep bench advising on a range of labour and employment disputes, including employee status, wrongful dismissal and wage claims. The team is also well versed in employment advice relating to post-M&A and restructuring integration as well as compensation and benefit package design. The firm has notable expertise in mandates related to the Serious Accident Punishment Act, and has additional experience on matters involving alleged illegal dispatch of workers and employment compliance advice to clients. The team draws strength from the firm's integration of practice groups and acts for an impressive roster of clients from the automotive, shipping, insurance and pharmaceutical sectors. Its key clients include Hyundai Motors, AGC Fine Techno Korea and SOCAR.

Lee & Ko houses an outstanding employment law offering in South Korea and is recognised for its expertise in a variety of contentious and non-contentious issues, including collective bargaining and strikes, employee status, non-compete issues and workforce reduction. Its client base hails from a range of industries from technology and retail to automotive and manufacturing. Its key clients include Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors.

Shin & Kim is an established Korean law firm that maintains a stellar reputation for labour and employment litigation, including advice on employee status, ordinary wage cases, workplace accident claims and labour union disputes. Well equipped to advise on regulatory matters and labour inspections carried out by the Ministry of Employment and Labour, it regularly advises blue-chip domestic and foreign companies, banks and public bodies. Its key clients include Bank of Korea, Valeo Electrical Systems Korea and Lotte GRS.

Bae, Kim & Lee is a well-respected law firm in South Korea, noted for its ability in representing major conglomerates in labour and employment disputes, including in relation to terminations, subcontractor claims and labour dispatch. The team is also well versed in issues pertaining to restructuring, wage claims and employee status. It offers a specialist task force focused on industrial accidents, bringing together lawyers with expertise in both labour law and criminal law. The firm acts for an impressive roster of clients across the technology, healthcare and automotive industries. Its key clients include Samsung SDI, Hyundai Steel and Hyundai Motor Company.

Yulchon houses a sophisticated Korean employment law offering, active on both contentious and non-contentious matters. Its broad-ranging practice extends from workforce reduction to internal investigations and HR issues relating to M&A. The firm has a strong reputation for employment litigation, including wage, worker dispatch and severance payment disputes. It is also well placed to handle workplace harassment questions, as well as occupational health and safety matters, advising clients on compliance issues. Clients represented include SK Telecom, LG Chemical and the Ministry of Employment and Labour.

Yoon & Yang has a well-reputed Korean employment law practice advising on contentious matters, drawing on the firm's respected dispute resolution capabilities. The team is experienced acting on wrongful dismissal, wage and discrimination, and serious accident-related cases. It is also well positioned to advise on a number of corporate HR issues, ranging from implementing the performance-based incentive system to post-M&A integration and organisational transformation, as well as on industrial relations matters. Furthermore, its lawyers provide advice on reduced working hour regulations and illegal dispatch of workers. Yoon & Yang retains a strong international and domestic client following among pharmaceutical, IT, construction and car companies. Clients represented include GS Retail, GE Appliances and Hyundai Materials.

Dentons Lee fields a team of specialists advising domestic and foreign corporations on contentious and non-contentious labour and employment matters. The team has notable expertise in disputes arising from the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and cases involving wrongful terminations, discrimination and non-compete clauses. It regularly undertakes collective bargaining and labour union-related mandates. Its client roster features Lotte Global Logistics, Ikea Korea and Hyundai Transys.

Jipyong has a robust employment law team in South Korea, especially advising employers on labour and employment matters, regularly assisting with employment termination, labour union, regulatory and restructuring issues. It represents companies in employment litigation up to Supreme Court level, including in ordinary wage, employee status and wrongful dismissal cases. The team acts for clients within a range of sectors including finance, insurance, automotive and construction. Its client roster includes Hyundai Motor Company, NEXTEEL and Dong-A University Foundation.