Dongwoo Seo

Managing Partner

T. +82-2-3404-0129
F. +82-2-3404-0803
E. dongwoo.seo@bkl.co.kr

Overview

Since joining Bae, Kim & Lee LLC in 1990, Dongwoo Seo's main practice has been focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, investment by foreign investors, overseas investment, management right dispute, capital market and corporate finance and financial regulation.

Mr. Seo earned his LL.B. from Seoul National University and completed the 16th course of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. He earned his LL.M. from Harvard Law School and was admitted to the bar of New York.

Mr. Seo is an arbitrator of Korea Commercial Arbitration Board, member of Legal Consultative Committee of KOSDAQ Listed Companies Association and researcher of research group on law of international transactions of the Ministry of Justice.

Related Practices

Representative Experience

1993 Visiting Attorney, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, New York

1992 Visiting Attorney, Rogers & Wells, Washington D.C.

1990-Present Bae, Kim & Lee LLC

2011-2013 Member, Financial Development Review Committee under the Financial Services Commission

2010-2016 Non-Standing Director, Korean Insurance Development Institute

2010-Present Non-Standing Director, Sungdam Co., Ltd.

2008-2012 Auditor, Paradise Welfare Foundation

2005-2011 Member, Market Efficiency Committee, Financial Services Commission

2002-Present Member, International Trade Law Research Group, Ministry of Justice

2000-2017 Member, Legal Advisory Committee, KOSDAQ Listed Companies Association

1999-Present Arbitrator, Korea Commercial Arbitration Board

Representative Matters

Advised KEB and 8 other financial institution in the sale of Hyundai E&C to Hyundai Motors Group

Advised KEB and 8 other financial institution in the sale of Hynix Semiconductor to SK Telecom

Advised Hana Financial Group in the acquisition of Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) from U.S. private equity firm Lone Star

Advised SK C&C in its merger of SK holdings

Advised Lotte Chemical in its acquisition of Samsung SDI Chemical subsidiaries

Advice on IBK Securities-Keistone Partners in the sale of Kumho Buslines

Advised on LIG's majority shareholders in the sale of LIG Insurance

Advised Yuanta Securities in its acquisition of Tongyang Securities

Advised Dongbu Farm Hannong on the sale of Dongbu Farm Gaya

Advised IMM in its investment in Hyundai Busan New Port

Advised IMM Investment Corp. in the sale of Midas Co., Ltd. to Pacific Dunlop Holdings (Europe) Limited

Advised Hanjin Shipping on the atttraction of investment in Busan Port

Advised Woonjin Group on the sale of its shares in Coway

Advised Dongbu Farm Hannong in the asset transfer of Monsanto Company Seed business

Advised Banyan Tree on its sale of Banyan Tree Hotel

Advised Headland Capital Partners in the acquisition of Unison Hi-Tech Co., Ltd.

Advised HSBC Private Equity in the subx-scription for Shares of SK Shipping

Advised Hanjin Shipping in the spin-off/joint venture of US, Japan and Taiwan port terminals business

Advised MBK Partners-KT in the acquisition of Kumho Rent-A-Car Co., Ltd.

Advised Dongbu Hitech on spin-off of agricultural business unit and sale of the shares in newly spun off company

Advised the shareholders C&M Communications in their sale of C&M Communication to MBK Partners and Macquarie Korea Opportuinities Fund for KRW 1,450 billion

Advised Dongbu Group in the sale of 49% shares in Siltron Inc. to the consortium composed by Vogo Fund and KTB Networks

Advised STX Group in the acquisition by of Aker Yards ASA, a shipbuilding company in Norway

Advised Hyundai Communications & Network (HCN) and its Hyundai Group affiliates in the sale of a certain minority interest in HCN to Carlye

Advised Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation in the sale of shares in (i) the Daehan Investment Trust Company to Hana Bank and (ii) the Korea Investment Trust Company to Dongwon Financial Group

Advised Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation in the recapitalization and sale of Hyundai Investment & Securities to Prudential

Advised Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation, the sole shareholder of Korea Life Insurance, in the sale of Korea Life Insurance to Hanhwa Consortium

Advised 5 commercial banks in the government-led P&A of 5 insolvent banks

Advised the FSC in the recapitalization and sale of 7 insolvent life insurance companies

Advised Hynix Semiconductor and its Creditors Committee in the sale of non-memory business of Hynix Semiconductor to Citigroup

Advised Prudential UK in its acquisition of Youngpoong Life (currently known as PCA Life)

Advised Olympus Capital in the investment in Korea Exchange Bank Credit Service

Advised the joint merger committee in the merger of Hana Bank and Boram Bank

Advised the joint merger committee in the merger of Hana Bank and Seoul Bank

Advised the target companies in the transactions involving Hyundai Merchant Marine, Estec, SK Corporation, Daegu Merchant Bank, Byuksan, etc.

Advised the acquirors in the transactions involving Kyungnam Energy, Hanhwa Merchant Bank, Sampyo Food

Advised KEB and 8 other financial institution in the sale of Hyundai E&C to Hyundai Motors Group

Advised KEB and 8 other financial institution in the sale of Hynix Semiconductor to SK Telecom

Advised Hana Financial Group in the acquisition of Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) from U.S. private equity firm Lone Star

Advised SK C&C in its merger of SK holdings

Advised Lotte Chemical in its acquisition of Samsung SDI Chemical subsidiaries

Advised CPA Global Korea on its acquisition of MARKPRO

Advised IMM Investment in its acquisition of Eco Management Korea

Advice Daewoong in the acquisition of shares in Hanall biopharma

Advised Headland Capital in the sale of Youngtoys

Education

1992 Harvard Law School (LL.M.)

1987 Judicial Research and Training Institute, Supreme Court of Korea

1985 Seoul National University (LL.B.)

Selected Activities

Publications

Transparent Management (Co-author, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Korea Chapter, 2007)

Current Status and Measures against Unfair and Fraudulent Conduct (Co-author, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Korea Chapter, 2003)

Korea: General Overview of Major M&A Deals and Prospects (Euromoney, 2003)

Korea Chapter (The Asia-Pacific Restructuring Guide, 2001, 2003)

Subsidy and Countervailing Duty System in UR Final Agreement, Vol.4 (Study on International Trade, 1995)

WTO Government Procurement Agreement and Korean Government Procurement System, No.6 (Trade Law, 1995)

Material Retardation Standard in U.S. Anti-dumping Law, Vol. 24 (Law and Policy in International Business, 1993)

Standing of Parties in Litigation over Realty Owned in Common (16th Class of the Judicial Research & Training Institute, 1986)

Awards

Chambers Asia-Pacific - Leading Lawyer (2016-2024)

Chambers Global - Leading Lawyer (2017-2024)

The Legal 500 - Leading Individual (2017-2019)

IFLR 1000 - Leading Lawyer (2017-2024)

Asialaw - Leading Lawyer (2014-2024)

Asia Business Law Journal - Korea's Top 100 Lawyers (2021-2023)

The Asia Legal Awards - M&A Lawyer of the Year (2017)

Qualifications

1993 New York

1987 Korea

Awards and Recognition

Chambers Global 2024 - Leading Individual (8 consecutive years)
IFLR1000 (2024) Leading Lawyer
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024 - Leading Individual (9 consecutive years)
Asialaw Leading Lawyer 2024
Asialaw Leading Lawyer 2023
Asia Business Law Journal – Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers 2023
IFLR1000 (2023) Leading Lawyer
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023 - Leading Individual
Asia Business Law Journal – Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers 2022
IFLR1000 (2022) Leading Lawyer
Chambers Global 2022 - Leading Individual
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022 - Leading Individual
Asialaw Leading Lawyer 2022
IFLR1000 (2021) Leading Lawyer
Asia Business Law Journal – Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers 2021
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2021 - Leading Individual
IFLR1000 (2020) Leading Lawyer
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2020 - Leading Individual
The Legal 500 2019 - Leading Lawyer
Chambers Global 2019 - Leading Individual
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2019 - Leading Individual
IFLR1000 (2019) Leading Lawyer
Asialaw Leading Lawyers 2018
Chambers Global 2018 – Leading Individual
IFLR1000 (2018) Leading Lawyer
Legal 500 2018 - Leading Individual
Chambers Asia 2018 - Leading Individual
Asialaw Leading Lawyers 2017
Chambers Global 2017 – Leading Individual
The Asia Legal Awards 2017 - M&A Lawyer of the Year
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2017 - Leading Individual
IFLR1000 (2017) Leading Lawyer
The Legal 500 - leading individual
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2016 - Leading Individual

Dongwoo Seo

Overview

Related Practices

Representative Experience

Representative Matters

Education

Selected Activities

Qualifications

Awards and Recognition

Related Content

Practice Areas

Awards and Recognition