South Korea

September 30, 2025 Yoon & Yang LLC (“Yoon & Yang”) announced that it has upgraded a full lineup for M&A practice by recruiting Young Ju Kim and Min Joo Kim from LAB Partners in Korea, both recognized for their strong expertise in private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) transactions. With the addition of these two partners, it has established a comprehensive lineup to serve all players in the M&A market, including large corporations, cross-border deals, PE, and mid-cap companies. Yoon & Yang is now considered to have built a top-tier team that covers all areas of M&A, capital markets, and corporate advisory, building on the recent hire such as managing partner Hee Woong Yoon, and other key partners, Jin Kook Lee, Myong-Hyon (Brandon) Ryu, and So Yeon Yoon. In addition to the firm’s recent strengthening of cross-border and large-cap M&A capabilities, this new recruitment further expands its capabilities to include PEF-led M&A and mid-cap M&A advisory, significantly broadening its client base in the M&A sector. Most importantly, Yoon & Yang’s recent recruitment of leading attorneys from LAB Partners, who were both renowned for their exceptional expertise in PE, VC, and mid-cap M&A, is highly significant as it will certainly establish itself as a prominent player in the PE and VC markets. Young Ju Kim, a partner, has established himself as a leading strategist in PE-centric M&A deals. A graduate of Korea University (LL.B., LL.M.) and a Korea qualified lawyer, Mr. Kim began his legal career at Shin & Kim LLC in 2009, where he distinguished himself in all areas of corporate and finance advisory, including PE and VC, capital markets regulation, acquisition finance, and structured finance. He later joined KL Partners and subsequently moved to LAB Partners as a founding member and managing partner in 2018, playing a crucial role in its rise as a premier M&A firm. In particular, Mr. Kim has been central to major domestic and international PE and VC transactions, including SGPE’s acquisition of Korea Special Gases, Keistone Partners’ acquisition of Se-Ah Mechanics, Highland PE’s acquisition of Orion Technology, and Orchestra PE’s acquisition of KFC Korea. Mr. Kim also advised on the landmark transaction involving the sale of Kyungjin Textile and Dongjin Textile to MBK Partners for KRW 790 billion. Furthermore, he enhanced his expertise in handling cross-border deals while working at the Hong Kong office of the U.S. law firm Latham & Watkins, which led to his participation in numerous inbound deals representing foreign investors. Since 2016, Mr. Kim has been continuously recognized as a leading lawyer in M&A and PE by IFLR1000, underscoring his global market reputation and expertise. Min Joo Kim, a partner who was admitted to the Korean bar in 2017, is an all-around player who covers entire process of M&A and corporate advisory. She graduated from Seoul National University (LL.B.) and from Ewha Law School (J.D.). Under the guidance of Mr. Kim at LAB Partners, Ms. Kim has handled a wide range of M&A, corporate governance, shareholder disputes, and corporate finance matters across various industries. Over the past eight years, Ms. Kim has earned recognition for her ability to oversee and handle every stage of mid-cap transactions—from deal structuring, fund formation, due diligence, and regulatory review to closing. In particular, her notable successes include leading SBI Holdings’ investment in Kyobo Life Insurance, Tenet PE’s acquisition of Powermax, Highland PE’s acquisition of Orion Technology, and SK Energy’s acquisition of GoodsFlow. She also demonstrated exceptional expertise in cross-border M&A by meticulously reviewing regulatory and licensing issues with the government of Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary during IS Dongseo’s acquisition of Slovakia’s BTS Technology. She led the due diligence of four European subsidiaries in collaboration with local counsels. The addition of the two partners is expected to significantly enhance Yoon & Yang’s capabilities in advising high-profile PE/VC deals and mid-cap transactions, while also reinforcing its competitiveness in both domestic and cross-border M&A. Mr. Myung Soo Lee, the managing partner of Yoon & Yang, commented, “Yoon & Yang has continuously invested in talent with the strategic mindset and deep expertise to deal with complex M&A structures and meet diverse investor needs. With the addition of these two highly respected partners, Yoon & Yang has established a full-spectrum service capable of covering M&A, PE/VC-driven transactions, and capital markets advisory, enabling us to provide clients with optimized, client-focused solutions.”   For more information, please contact: Mr. Jae Hyuk Yang Senior Marketing/Communications Manager Yoon & Yang LLC Tel: (82-2) 6003-7229 Email: [email protected]

Yoon & Yang LLC (“Yoon & Yang”) announced that it has welcomed experts with extensive experience in global finance market, Partner Young-Joon Cho and Senior Foreign Attorney Eun Sik Shin, as new Partners. Both attorneys bring outstanding credentials and extensive transactional experience in cross-border transactions, international finance, offshore finance, structured finance, and project finance. With these high-profile appointments, Yoon & Yang further strengthens its competitiveness and expertise across a full spectrum of global financial transactions, including offshore and cross-border finance, acquisition finance, structured and asset-backed finance, project finance, and shipping and aviation finance. Partner Young-Joon Cho: A Leading Finance and International Transactions Expert with 30 Years of Experience Partner Young-Joon Cho (admitted to Korean bar in 1990) is recognized as a leading authority in finance and offshore transactions with nearly 30 years of experience. A graduate of Seoul National University School of Law, Mr. Cho earned his LL.M. from Columbia Law School in 2001 and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2003. He began his international finance practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (New York), engaging in a wide array of international finance and capital markets transactions. From 1997, Mr. Cho led complex cross-border financial transactions as a partner at another Korean major law firm, Bae, Kim & Lee, successfully advising on over 1,500 cross-border loan transactions in over 25 jurisdictions. He has played a leading role in a broad spectrum of international financial transactions, advising policy financial institutions—including The Korea Development Bank—major commercial banks, securities firms, and global financial institutions. He also possesses deep experience in global financial regulatory matters, including the U.S. Bank Holding Company Act (BHC Act), Financial Holding Companies Act (FHC Act), and Federal Reserve Regulation Y. He has advised a broad array of Korean policy financial institutions, major commercial banks, securities companies, and global financial institutions on complex international finance and regulatory matters. Mr. Cho has been recognized repeatedly as a 'Leading Lawyer' by international legal directories such as Chambers Global, Chambers Asia-Pacific, and IFLR1000, underscoring his expertise and influence in the global finance industry. Senior Foreign Attorney Eun Sik Shin: International and Offshore Finance Specialist Senior Foreign Attorney Eun Sik Shin (admitted to the Quebec Bar) is an accomplished expert in offshore finance, structured finance, asset-backed lending, and project finance, with more than 27 years of hands-on experience. Starting her career at Kim Shin & Yu Law Offices in 1998, she spent over 25 years at Bae, Kim & Lee LLC, where she played an instrumental role in a wide range of international finance transactions, including offshore lending, issuance of foreign currency-denominated bonds, and ship finance. Ms. Shin holds an LL.B. from Laval University and from the University of Western Ontario, completed her legal training at Ecole du Barreau du Quebec, and is a member of the Quebec Bar (since 1997). Driving Synergy in in Financial Transactions and International Finance Practices With the addition of Mr. Cho and Ms. Shin, Yoon & Yang further bolsters its capabilities in cross-border financial transactions. In particular, the firm is prepared to deliver proactive and strategic counsel on global AML matters, multi-jurisdiction regulatory compliance, and complex collaboration with global investment banking teams, offering clients best-in-class support throughout all facets of international finance. Managing Partner Myung Soo Lee commented, “As the globalization of the financial industry accelerates, mastery of complex capital structures and regulatory environments is more critical than ever. The addition of these two outstanding experts will elevate Yoon & Yang’s capacity to provide comprehensive, global finance advisory services, particularly in international capital-raising.” For more information, please contact: Mr. Jae Hyuk Yang Senior Marketing/Communications Manager Yoon & Yang LLC Tel: (82-2) 6003-7229 Email: [email protected]

 Lee & Ko has once again reaffirmed its position as one of Korea’s premier law firms earning six honors including “Korea Deal Firm of the Year” and “Litigation Law Firm of the Year” at the ALB Korea Law Awards 2025, hosted by Asian Legal Business (ALB), a Thomson Reuters affiliate and one of Asia’s most respected legal publications. In the Firm Categories, Lee & Ko was recognized as “Korea Deal Firm of the Year”, “Litigation Law Firm of the Year”, and “Tax & Trusts Law Firm of the Year”, achieving its third consecutive recognition in the litigation category. These accolades highlight the firm’s sustained excellence across dispute resolution, corporate advisory, and tax practices, supported by exceptional teamwork and execution capabilities. In particular, the firm achieved significant victories in cases of broad social and economic importance, including the Pohang Earthquake Damages Appeal, the HSBC Short-Selling Criminal Case, and the SK Chemicals Humidifier Disinfectant Case. Beyond litigation, the firm’s transactional and advisory expertise was also recognized through its work on several landmark matters, such as LG Energy Solution’s acquisition of assets from Ultium Cells LLC, SK’s sale of SK Specialty, and Lotte Group’s VAT dispute, underscoring the firm’s depth of experience and cross-practice capabilities. In the Deal Categories, Lee & Ko earned top honors for its exceptional advisory capabilities in M&A and Capital Markets, winning “Debt Market Deal of the Year” for advising on Hanwha Life Insurance’s Tier II Subordinated Capital Securities, “Equity Market Deal of the Year” for LG Chem, Ltd.’s issuance of exchangeable bonds due 2028, and “M&A Deal of the Year” for Korean Air Lines’ acquisition of Asiana Airlines and sale of Asiana Airlines’ cargo business. The ALB Korea Law Awards celebrate the most outstanding achievements in Korea’s legal market, evaluating law firms and in-house teams based on submitted materials and independent research. These six awards are a testament to Lee & Ko’s unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and leadership across all practice areas. The awards won by Lee & Ko are as follows. [Firm Categories] Korea Deal Firm of the Year Litigation Law Firm of the Year Tax and Trusts Law Firm of the Year [Deal Categories] Debt Market Deal of the Year (Hanwha Life Insurance Tier II Subordinated Capital Securities) Equity Market Deal of the Year (LG Chem, Ltd. Issuance of Exchangeable Bonds due 2028) M&A Deal of the Year (Korean Air Lines Acquisition of Asiana Airlines and Sale of Asiana Airlines Cargo Business)  

On November 19, 2021, Company C, a manufacturer of equipment for secondary batteries, filed a lawsuit against Wonik PNE Co., Ltd. (the “Company”), which operates in the same industry. The counterparty alleged that the Company was infringing its patent for a “secondary battery pouch folding device” (the “Subject Patent”) and sought both an injunction and KRW 3 billion in damages. Representing the Company, Lee & Ko argued that the true inventor of the Subject Patent is employee A, and that the Subject Patent amounts to an employee invention that rightfully belongs to the Company. On this basis, Lee & Ko argued that the counterparty’s claim of patent infringement constituted an abuse of patent rights, since the Company was the legitimate patentee. The facts showed that employee A completed the invention while still employed by the Company, but did not disclose it to the Company. Instead, A provided the design drawings to another employee, B. After leaving the Company, B filed for and registered the Subject Patent in his own name, and later transferred it to the counterparty, a company he had established. Lee & Ko persuasively argued that, under these circumstances, the counterparty’s assertion of patent infringement was an abuse of rights. As a result, the Company secured a complete victory at the first instance on October 11, 2024. Although Company C filed an appeal, Lee & Ko, acting on behalf of the Company, initiated a claim against C seeking the transfer of the Subject Patent registration. The courts recognized that the application for the Subject Patent qualified as an “application filed by an unentitled person” and ruled in favor of the Company. The Company secured a complete victory at both the first instance and on appeal before the IP High Court. On June 5, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed C’s appeal, thereby rendering the final the judgment. Following this decision, C withdrew its own appeal, making the case fully resolved. Lee & Ko’s IP Practice Group conducted a detailed analysis of the technical features of the Subject Patent, the Company’s technical data, as well as related email communications and messenger records. Based on this review, the team successfully proved that the Subject Patent was not B’s personal invention, but rather an employee invention by A, thereby securing a judgment ordering the transfer of the patent rights. Consequently, C’s claims for an injunction and damages for patent infringement were also dismissed. This case highlights Lee & Ko IP’s outstanding litigation capability, demonstrating how thorough technical examination and rigorous legal analysis can lead to a complete victory for the client.