Leading full-service law firm Yoon & Yang is further strengthening its Antitrust & Competition practice with the hire of a former director of the Korea Fair Trade Commission.

Yoon & Yang has hired Hee Jae Lee as a partner in the firm’s antitrust & competition practice group. Lee, who joins Yoon & Yang after having served at the Korea Fair Trade Commission (“KFTC”) for 18 years from 2005 to 2023, has extensive experience in all areas of antitrust/competition law including cartel, dominance, subcontracting, franchise business, large retail business, labelling and advertising, and standardized terms, etc. She graduated from Seoul National University with a bachelor’s degree in consumer studies.

During her eighteen-year tenure at the KFTC, Lee worked on high-profile and large-scale investigations of KFTC including the case of alleged collusion among Korean instant noodle manufacturers which led her to being recognized as the “Employee of the Year” at the KFTC in 2012. She was also involved in major investigations against the prominent global electric car manufacturer, global clothing apparel company, and major mobile carriers in South Korea for false and exaggerated advertisements, earning her a nickname as “the Ad Killer” in the later stages of her career.

While at the KFTC, Lee served as the Head of the Franchise Transaction Investigation Team, Director of the Consumer Safety Information Division, and most recently Director of the Consumer Transaction Policy in 2023.

“I am delighted to join Yoon & Yang and its esteemed Antitrust & Competition Practice Group,” added Lee. “I strongly believe that Yoon & Yang, with its impressive expertise and reputation within the Korean antitrust and competition industry, is the ideal platform for me to further develop my practice as an attorney.”

Yoon & Yang’s Antitrust & Competition Practice Group is comprised of more than 50 legal professionals and experts including attorneys who worked at the KFTC, former prosecutors who mainly handled antitrust/competition investigations, senior consultants, and expert counsels. The practice group is internationally recognized for its expertise and strong service in antitrust and competition field in South Korea. For example, the firm has been recognized as a South Korea Elite Firm for 15 consecutive years by the Global Competition Review (GCR). The practice group has advised and represented numerous major Korean companies and multinational companies such as Microsoft, Qualcomm, Coupang, Kakao Mobility, and Yogiyo.

“Lee's experience in handling investigations, deliberation, litigation and policy-making in the field of antitrust/competition will perfectly align with Yoon & Yang’s unparalleled global presence and growth plan,” said Jason Sang Oh Jeon, a head of the Antitrust & Competition Practice Group at Yoon & Yang. “We promise our clients that we will continue to strengthen our expertise with active recruitment of the best talent in the field,” he added.

Yoon & Yang is one of the leading full-service law firms in South Korea, providing the highest quality legal services across a broad range of practice areas including mergers & acquisitions, international transactions, tax, employment, IP and all areas of disputes. It has offices in Seoul, Tashkent, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Jakarta.