Southeast Asia

"BKL's M&A capability in South East Asia was virtually non-existent before Mr. Yang and his Vietnam office joined BKL.”

- IFLR1000

Overview

BKL’s Southeast Asia Practice Group (the “Group”) has been providing in-depth advisory services in the Southeast Asian business areas based on its unrivaled experience and expertise. In particular, based on its excellent work capability and a wealth of know-how in the field of M&A deals and foreign investment in Southeast Asia, the Group’s Vietnam Team has advised on the deals selected as the Deal of the Year at the Vietnam M&A Forum for 6 consecutive years and also has officially been recognized as the Best M&A Advisor for 3 consecutive years.

Exclusive Experience and Global Network in Businesses in Southeast Asia 

The Group is comprised of experts with over 15 years of work experience in Southeast Asia who possess extensive knowledge and know-how on the culture and enterprises of Southeast Asian countries. BKL opened its offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2015, and in Singapore in 2021 in order to support its clients’ needs for legal services in Southeast Asia. Further, since 2018, BKL has been operating a Korea desk in association with Makarim & Taira S., a top tier law firm in Indonesia, at which its seconded attorneys serve as a forward base for Korean companies. In addition, the Group strives to navigate and build up cooperative relationships with major local firms in other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, thereby allowing it to provide wide-ranging legal services across the entire region.

Extensive Know-How and Expertise

Drawing on a wealth of its experience and expertise in various practice areas such as general corporate matters, M&As, investment/permits and licenses, construction/real estate, SOC projects and disputes, the Group provides accurate analysis of legal risks which might arise out of individual projects and further provides the best solutions for the benefit of its clients. The Group has successfully advised on numerous major projects and transactions across the Southeast Asian region including, among other things, Hana Bank’s strategic investment in BIDV, one of the top listed banks in Vietnam, LG Display’s establishment of OLED display module production plants and investment in Vietnam, KT’s acquisition of information and technology company in Singapore, KB Bank’s acquisition of Prasac Microfinance Institution in Cambodia.

Differentiated Services through an Organic Cooperation System with the Seoul Office

The Group provides integrated legal advisory services by bringing together experts from Seoul offices in various areas such as corporate law, finance, construction/real estate, tax, labor, fair trade, intellectual property and international arbitration, who collaborate closely with each other and take into a comprehensive account the specific nature and issues of each case. Further, the Group strives to provide client-oriented legal advisory services through Korean attorneys stationed in Southeast Asia offices who respond to clients’ needs in a swift and efficient manner.
 

Key Services

Corporate / M&A
Deal structuring and due diligence
All types of M&A transactions including shares or asset acquisition, mergers, spin-off and split-off
Joint venture, partnership and exit strategy
Investment & License
Foreign ownership restrictions
Licenses and permits required or necessary for the contemplated business
Fund flow and profit distribution
Banking, Financing & Capital Markets
Financial regulatory advice, financing structure and execution
Operation of financial institutions
Real Estate, Construction & Projects
Real estate transactions
Project finance and security interest
Construction execution and claims
Labor / Employment
Labor contract and collective bargaining contract
Labor policies and regulations
Labor dispute, termination and lay-offs
International Dispute
Dispute resolution strategy and action plan
International arbitration
Settlement support

Representative Cases

Advised Shinhan Life Insurance on the establishment of its subsidiary life insurance company in Vietnam and acquisition of business license
Advised Woori Bank on the establishment of its Vietnamese subsidiary and internal compliance regulations
Advised KB Bank on its acquisition of shares in Prasac, one of the microfinance companies in Cambodia and its merger with a Cambodian bank
Vietnam
Advised POSCO Vietnam on its new Hai Phong plant construction project
Advised Hana Financial Group on its acquisition of shares in BIDV Securities JSC, a Vietnamese-based securities firm
Advised Shinhan Life Insurance on the establishment of its subsidiary life insurance company in Vietnam and acquisition of business license
Advised Samsung Electronics on its R&D Center project
Advised POSCO on its Vietnamese subsidiary restructuring project
Advised Hana Bank on strategic investment in BIDV listed on Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange
Advised Hanwha Asset Management on its acquisition of convertible preference shares in Vingroup, Vietnam’s biggest conglomerate
Advised Lotte Card on its acquisition of Techcom Finance, a Vietnamese finance company
Advised Woori Bank on the establishment of its Vietnamese subsidiary and internal compliance regulations
Advised Kolon Industries on the acquisition of approval of its investment in manufacturing facility in Vietnam and the establishment of its subsidiary in Vietnam
Advised LG Display on the construction of OLED display module factory and relevant investment incentives
Advised CJ Cheiljedang on the acquisition of Vietnamese food processing Minh Dat Food and Vietnamese frozen food company, Cau Tre
Indonesia
Advised POSCO International on the establishment of palm oil refinery joint venture in Indonesia and EPC project
Advised POSCO International on its acquisition of land in Balikpapan region
Advised KT&G on the construction of new plant in East Java Province
Advised POSCO Holdings on the establishment of a nickel refining joint venture
Advised Daewoo E&C on its establishment of a joint venture company with Indonesian company for the Oil & Gas Upstream Project
Advised LG Chemical on the establishment of its Indonesian subsidiary
Advised Nongwoo Bio on its acquisition of additional shares in PT Koreana Seed Indonesia
Advised POSCO International on the all-inclusive exchange of shares between its Singaporean holding company and its Indonesian subsidiary
Advised Korea Western Power on its investment in a gas-fired power plant in Indonesia
Advised on the Indonesian joint venture project for the battery cell production between LG Energy Solution and Hyundai Motor Group
Advised GS Retail on the capital increase with consideration of its Indonesian subsidiary
Advised Busan Port Authority on the joint venture project for its logistics business connections including operation of a bonded warehouse in East Java
Advised CJ Cheiljedang on the integration of its food subsidiaries in Asian countries including Indonesia
Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and Myanmar
Advised KB Bank on its acquisition of shares in Prasac, one of the microfinance companies in Cambodia and its merger with a Cambodian bank
Advised a Korean company on its plantation business in Cambodia
Advised K-water and construction companies consortium in connection with the water management project in Thailand
Advised Hyundai Glovis on the joint venture project in Thailand
Represented a Korean construction company in connection with a construction dispute in Thailand
Advised Lotte Chemical Titan in connection with the listing requirements in Malaysia
Advised CJ O Shopping on the establishment of a joint venture company in Malaysia
Advised CJ Korea Express on its acquisition of Century Logistics, a general logistics company in Malaysia
Advised Shinsegae Food on the establishment of a joint venture company in Malaysia
Advised a Korean company on its comprehensive real estate development project in Philippines
Advised Emart on the entry of its Nobrand franchise business into the Philippines market
Advised KEPCO and Korea Western Power in liquidation of their Philippines entity
Advised POSCO E&C on the development project of residential-commercial complex in Clark City, Philippines
Advised Hanjin Heavy Industries on the restructuring of shipping yard at Subic bay in Philippines
Advised Hanwha Q-Cells Korea on the project financing and refinancing for solar power project in Philippines
Advised a Korean company on its market entry into Philippines franchise industry
Advised Korean banks on their acquisition of banking business licenses in Myanmar
Advised LH on the development and operation of industrial complex in Myanmar with the Myanmar Ministry of Construction
Advised POSCO International on its development and operation of Lotte Hotel in Myanmar

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