As a full-service global law firm with in-depth knowledge and extensive experience, we are uniquely placed to work with Korean clients who are looking to invest globally and international clients with expansion plans in South Korea.
Extensive Korea related experience
Both our lawyers in Asia and the international team have significant experience in advising Korean conglomerates, institutions and investors on their outbound expansion globally. We also have extensive experience in partnering with international investors and corporates on their inbound investments into South Korea.
Cultural understanding and language capability
We have set up dedicated Korea desks in Hong Kong and the US, led by native Korean-speaking lawyers. Our core members have years of experience working with Korean clients. They have full understanding of the Korean business culture and environment and act as trusted global adviser for many leading Korean clients as well as for global clients doing business in South Korea.
Global coverage for Korean clients
Complementing our global teams based in the US, the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, we established the innovative Eversheds Sutherland Asia Pacific Alliance (ESAPA), a collaboration between Eversheds Sutherland and over 30 leading legal firms based in Asia Pacific, including South Korea. The ESAPA members are an “extended arm” of our network. The combination of our core team and ESAPA members enables us to serve all our Korean clients’ needs in a seamless manner, wherever their business takes them.
Wide sector expertise
We have advised on transactions across a wide variety of sectors, including energy and renewables, infrastructure, industrial and manufacturing, technology and telecommunications, transportation, fintech, e-commerce, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare and education.
Our Korea business group experience
- a major Korean bank as agent in providing a mortgage syndication loan of more than US$220 million to an S&P 500 public REIT for several real estate assets in New York
- a leading Korean bank as agent in providing a mortgage syndication loan of US$43 million and a mezzanine loan of US$13 million for the acquisition of a boutique hotel in Los Angeles
- several US subsidiaries of Korean manufacturers of automotive parts, electronics, and other industry and specialty materials in various project developments, asset-based lending, lines of credit, working capital, equipment and acquisition financings, including issuance of a US$40 million US dollar denominated guaranteed floating rate notes issuance in South Korea market
- a leading Korean bank as participating lenders in various large syndicated financings for commercial real estate and energy development projects
- two leading Korean policy banks in providing various commercial lending transactions, including asset-based lending, lines of credit, working capital, equipment and acquisition financings, involving US subsidiaries of Korean companies
- a US subsidiary of a Korean automotive parts manufacturer with its new US$317.4 million investment to develop a stamped metal body parts manufacturing facility to supply and support a global EV manufacturer in connection with critical phases of the project development, including construction management and negotiating and structuring a US$250 million taxable industrial revenue bond for tax abatement, a construction financing in the amount of US$80 million through a variable rate demand bond (VRDB), a US$79.2 million EB-5 term loan credit facility, and a US$60 million syndicated equipment financing
- a US subsidiary of a Korean automotive parts manufacturer with its new $400 million investment to develop a stamped metal body parts manufacturing facility to supply and support a global EV manufacturer in connection with critical phases of the project development, including construction management and negotiating and structuring a $400 million taxable industrial revenue bond for tax abatement, a $50 million secured senior revolving credit facility from a regional bank and a $70 million term loan credit facility from an export-import bank
- a Korean industrial conglomerate on a number of high profile transactions including the sale of a French company, an expert in construction equipment, to a US group, a worldwide leader in high-productivity mining solutions; the US$4.9 billion acquisition of Bobcat, Utility Equipment and Attachments business units of a US industrial company; and the transfer of the Belgian headquarters to the Czech Republic, a complex transaction involving a large number of steps and 12 different jurisdictions
- a Korean asset manager as co-lead investor in the series A2 financing round of HKbitEx, a Hong Kong-based virtual asset exchange for digital assets
- a beauty group across the UK, the US, Korea and Australia, dealing with all the share options related aspects of the transaction which a global beauty company increasing its ownership from 29% to 76%
- a US-based private equity fund, on its sale of a Korean capital corporation and its subsidiary, a Korean savings bank, the top ten lenders and savings banks in South Korea
- the formation of a REIT and joint venture with the pension fund for a South Korean public sector entity with a capital commitment of US$375 million for which South Korean financial regulatory approval was obtained
- three Fortune-100 financial services retirement providers in the formation of a joint venture among the US life insurance company and various South Korean pension funds
- a global records management company on its acquisition of the records management business of a relocation services group in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain and Taiwan
- a Korean cross-border private investment and strategic advisory firm on their corporate governance and shareholders’ arrangements and share repurchase exercise
- an Asian multi-family office on its investment in a Korean fintech company that is engaged in cross-border fund remittance services
- a confidential private equity investor alongside global healthcare fund a healthcare-focused investment fund on the takeover of a Korean medical devices business
- a biotechnology company on its investment by a Korean listed medical group
- a global real estate investment manager on its £141.5 million disposal of the unit trust interests in One Finsbury Circus to a consortium of investors from Korea, Malaysia and China
- a PRC-listed technology company on its acquisition of a leading European manufacturer in the high-end copper foil sector from a consortium of Korean investors
- advising a leading Sponsor on its co-investment alongside a healthcare-focused investment fund in the $742m take private of Korean medical devices business Jeisys Medical listed on the Korean Stock Exchange
- a Vietnamese joint venture company comprised of a Dutch climate fund and a Korean energy developer in relation to a dispute involving a European O&M contractor for a near-shore wind farm project in Vietnam. The contract was governed by Singapore law and provides for ICC arbitration seated in Singapore
- a leading Korean multinational entertainment agency in relation to employment law issues arising in its subsidiary in Hong Kong
- a leading Korean display technology company in a multi-jurisdictional patent infringement dispute against Taiwanese competitors
- a Hong Kong investment management company, in relation to disputes relating to an investment manager’s failure to execute hedging trades in relation to Korean index futures in accordance with its trading programme during the Korean presidential elections in 2017
- a Korea-based private equity firm in relation to Hong Kong court proceedings regarding dispute with malfeasance of former partner and intentional misconduct involving digital asset investment. Parallel arbitration proceedings were commenced with KCAB
- a Korean state-owned entity which holds a significant equity interest in a project company set up to develop and operate nickel mine in an African state. We advised on the successful implementation of a restructuring plan which comprised around US$2bn of debt owed by the project company
- a Korean energy investor and a Dutch climate investment fund with respect to their joint venture company incorporated in Vietnam relating to a potential arbitration involving an EPC contractor that is a European wind power specialist. The underlying contract is governed by English law and provided for proceedings seated in Singapore under the ICC Rules
- a Korean manufacturer in an ad hoc arbitration commenced by its supplier from China relating to the quality of the components supplied
- an Indonesian subsidiary of a Korean-owned footwear manufacturer and a Macanese subsidiary of a Hong Kong-listed footwear manufacturer in relation to a dispute regarding the supply of outdoor footwear to a NYSE-listed company based in the U.S. The supply contract is governed by New York law and provided for ICC arbitration seated in New York. Parallel court proceedings were commenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- a major international airline on the compliance, and proposed restructuring, of a joint venture set up to operate freighters services between a dozen Asian countries (including South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore), including advising on the merger control implications of the restructuring arrangements
- a major aviation group on the disposal of budget airline, HK Express, to Cathay Pacific. As the transaction would have resulted in the Cathay Pacific Group having control over three of the four carriers in Hong Kong, one key aspect of the transaction was obtaining clearance from competition authorities in jurisdictions where the routes of Cathay Pacific and HK Express overlap, including South Korea
- a Korean securities firm with a Hong Kong presence and a Korean securities firm on their regulatory and compliance obligations under the Securities and Futures Ordinance and queries relating to Hong Kong securities laws
- providing strategic advice to a Korean-headquartered technology company on the privacy-by-design elements of their connected TVs
- advising a Korean mobile company on various programmatic advertising-related matters in the context of its mobile apps
- advising a PRC-listed technology company on its recent signed SPA for the acquisition of a leading European manufacturer in the high-end copper foil market from a consortium of Korean investors
- advising a biotechnology company on its investment by a Korean listed medical group
- advising a global real estate investment manager on its £141.5 million disposal of the unit trust interests in One Finsbury Circus to a consortium of investors from Korea, Malaysia and China
Key Contacts
Steve B. Park
Partner
Atlanta, United States
Ji Yoon (June) Park
Associate
Hong Kong SAR, Asia
Charles Butcher
Managing Partner
Hong Kong SAR, Asia
Wesley Pang
Partner
Hong Kong SAR, Asia
Dickson Ng
Partner
Hong Kong SAR, Asia
Joaquin Terceño
Partner
United Kingdom
Richard Black
Partner
United Kingdom
Duncan Watt
Partner
Hong Kong SAR, Asia
Jonathan Leach
Partner
United Kingdom
Charles C. Hwang
Senior Counsel
Washington, DC, United States
Stephanie J. Kim
Counsel
Chicago, United States
Christine H. Kim
Senior Associate
Atlanta, United States