Shin & Kim is recognised for its work representing both foreign and domestic clients; the firm is highly regarded for handling a broad spectrum of antitrust matters, including domestic and international cartels, abuse of market dominance, and groundbreaking cases in Korean antitrust law. Co-head John Choi leads multi-jurisdictional antitrust investigations, while co-head Han Soon Choi, leveraging his experience as a former judge, handles high-profile litigation in market dominance and cartel cases. Sangdon Lee, an expert in merger filings, actively advises the KFTC on updates to the merger control regime. Young Chul Yim, a key figure in the antitrust practice, has led several landmark cases, offering novel legal analysis and addressing untested issues in the evolving antitrust landscape.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘This is a great firm with excellent lawyers who know how to apply local laws in an international environment. They are focused on achieving the best results for clients given the commercial context. They have access to key decision-makers within the authorities, such as the KFTC. I can wholeheartedly recommend them.’

  • ‘John Choi and Jooyoung Park are probably two of the most skilled competition lawyers in South Korea. They know the law, are able to convince officials and manage client expectations. This leads to very high client satisfaction rates.’

  • ‘The team is one of the best in handling South Korean merger filings.'

  • ‘Sangdon Lee is very responsive and experienced. He is the go-to person for merger filing and antitrust matters in South Korea.’

  • ‘Shin & Kim’s competition and antitrust practice has handled a number of complex global matters. Shin & Kim has an outstanding conflict standard in South Korea.’

  • ‘I started working with John Choi in about 2000. The relationship continues to this day. I continue to work with John on all important antitrust matters. Even in non-antitrust cases, I seek John’s advice on the approaches. John’s depth of legal skills is unchallenged in South Korea. John is an exceptional lawyer, and he also possesses impeccable integrity. John is legendary in the South Korean legal community for his unparalleled ethical standard and his excellent lawyering skills.’

Key clients

  • Qualcomm Inc.
  • Asiana Airlines Inc.
  • Mercedes-Benz Group AG
  • Hyundai Steel Co., Ltd.
  • Koninklijke Philips N.V.
  • SK Group
  • Aktiebolaget Volvo
  • Kakao Mobility
  • Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
  • Lotte Group
  • Hiconsy Inc.

Work highlights

  • Advised Qualcomm Inc. on abuse of dominance cases.
  • Advised Qualcomm Inc. on class action in the UK.
  • Advised Asiana Airlines on merger filing.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

John Choi, Han Soon Choi

Other key lawyers

Sangdon Lee, Young Chul Yim, Jooyoung Park, Chang-Young Cho, Changhun Lee, Eui-Rae Kim