Changhyun Lee

  • Partner
  • T. +82-2-3404-0467
  • F. +82-2-3404-7306
  • E. changhyun.lee@bkl.co.kr

Overview

Mr. Changhyun Lee’s practice focuses on general civil litigation, criminal litigation, cross-border litigation, international arbitration, preservative measures, enforcement action, commercial matters and disputes over management rights, construction and real estate litigation, and insurance and maritime litigation, etc.

Beginning his career as a judge at the Seoul Central District Court in 2002, Mr. Lee worked as a judge for twenty years and accumulated a wealth of practical experience by handling various civil and criminal trials until he retired as a presiding judge at the Busan District Court in 2021. In 2011, he was selected as an excellent judge as a result of mutual monitoring of judges of the Suwon District Court. Also, he served as a commissioner of the Busan Metropolitan City Election Commission for three years from 2018 to 2021.

Mr. Lee majored and earned master's degrees and doctoral degrees in International Transaction Law, International Civil Procedure Law, International Arbitration Law, and Private International Law, and earned his LL.M. in International Business Law from London School of Economics and Political Science. As the head of the International Norm Study Group (International Commercial Transaction Group) of the Supreme Court, he attended several meetings of the UNCITRAL Working Group in his capacity as a member of the government delegation, and he dealt with a number of cases in his field of specialization, while serving as the presiding judge of the court in charge of international transactions including international arbitration, and maritime and shipping cases. In particular, he has special expertise in the field of corporate commercial disputes, international civil procedure law, various international preservative lawsuits including an injunction, and civil and criminal litigation of foreign companies. He conducted various academic activities as a member of Supreme Court's International Transaction Law Research Society, Foreign Judicial System Research Group, Busan Case Study Association, etc. and is a regular member of Korea Private International Law Association.

Representative Experience

2021-Present Bae, Kim & Lee LLC
2017-2020 Presiding Judge, Busan District Court
2016-2017 Judge, Seoul Eastern District Court
2014-2016 Judge, Seoul Central District Court
2009-2014 Judge, Suwon District Court
2006-2009 Judge, Tongyeong Branch of Changwon District Court
2004-2006 Judge, Seoul Southern District Court
2002-2004 Deputy Judge, Seoul Central District Court

Representative Matters

Represented domestic and foreign companies in major civil, criminal, commercial, administrative litigations, preservative measures, enforcement actions, etc.
Represented a client in civil, commercial, and criminal disputes and ICC international arbitration between a foreign investment company and the largest shareholder of a conglomerate involving a put option of multi-trillion won value
Represented clients in approval and enforcement of foreign judgments or arbitral awards in Korea
Represented clients in civil and criminal disputes over reconstruction/redevelopment associations
Represented a Korean entity in litigation in the U.S.A. and managed the litigation (including conduct of deposition, etc.)
Domestic Litigation and Preservative Measures
Represented domestic and foreign companies in major civil, criminal, commercial, administrative litigations, preservative measures, enforcement actions, etc.
Represented a client in civil, commercial, and criminal disputes and ICC international arbitration between a foreign investment company and the largest shareholder of a conglomerate involving a put option of multi-trillion won value
Represented clients in approval and enforcement of foreign judgments or arbitral awards in Korea
Represented pharmaceutical companies in criminal litigation involving rebates
Represented clients in civil and criminal disputes over reconstruction/redevelopment associations
Represented a multi-national SNS entity in administration proceeding involving compliance with the Personal Information Protection Act
International Litigation and Arbitration
Represented Company A in approval and enforcement of ICC international arbitral award on breach of game license agreement
Represented Company B in ICC international arbitration involving Songdo project
Represented Company C in litigation and arbitration in Qatar
Represented Company D in KCAB arbitration involving fair trade
Advised Company E on construction project of Barakah nuclear power plant in UAE
Advised Company F on international disputes involving joint and several contributions for transfer of Tianjin sports team
Advised Company G on claim with a Chinese entity and preparation of the settlement agreement
Represented Shipbuilding Company H on preservative measures involving independent bank guarantee
Represented Company I in multi-national damages claim involving price-fixing of displays
Represented a Korean entity in litigation in the U.S.A. and managed the litigation (including conduct of deposition, etc.)
Served the USDOJ in its request for examination of evidence

Education

2020 Seoul National University (LL.D.)
2013 London School of Economics and Political Science (LL.M.)
2005 Korea University Law School (LL.M.)
2002 Judicial Research and Training Institute, Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea
1998 Korea University (B.A.)

Selected Activities

Publications
Online Commentary on Private International Law (Co-author, LawnB ONJU, 2023)
Korean Civil Litigation Practice (Co-author, Bae, Kim & Lee LLC, 2023)
A Practical Guide to U.S. Litigation for Korean companies, Bae, Kim & Lee LLC (Co-author, Pakyoungsa, 2022)
International Arbitration and Anti—Suit Injunction–Arbitration–Vol. 355 (Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, 2021)
International Dispute and Anti—Suit Injunction, Seoul National University Law Research Institute, Law Studies Series No. 96 (Kyungin Publishing, 2021)
Whether a foreign arbitral award ordering indirect specific performance may be enforced in Korea–A Study on Supreme Court Judgment 2016Da18753 dated November 29, 2018 (Busan Case Study Association, 2021)
A Study on the Use of Anti—Suit Injunction in International Dispute Resolution-Focusing on Applicability in Korea (Doctoral Thesis, Seoul National University, 2020)
A Study on Anti—Suit Injunction Examined through the China Trade Case (Shipping Practice Research Society of Busan District Court, 2017)
A practical analysis on some dangers of court—annexed mediation and possible solutions (Master's Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science, LL.M., 2013)
Report on Participation in the 21st UNCITRAL Working Group Meeting in the Field of Secured Transactions, Current Status and Prospects of International Norms (National Court Administration of the Supreme Court, 2013)
The Law Governing International Torts-A Comparative Legal Review of the Interpretation of the Korean Private International Law and Foreign Legislation such as Rome II Regulation (Judicial Branch's Court Net, 2013)
A Comparison of Legal Principles and Precedents in the UK, EC, and USA Regarding the Determination of the Law Governing International Civil Litigation (Judicial Branch's Overseas Training Report, 2013)
Report on Participation in the 19th UNCITRAL Working Group Meeting in the Field of Secured Transactions, Current Status and Prospects of International Norms (National Court Administration of the Supreme Court, 2012)
A Brief Study on the US Court's Olmstead Decision and Korea's First Lawsuit Seeking Deinstitutionalization of the Disabled (Judicial Branch's Court Net, 2011)
Practical Issues Concerning Liability for Repair of Defects, Discussions on Construction Trial Practice (Construction Practice Research Society of Seoul Central District Court, 2006)
A Study on ‘Breach of Contract’ under the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) (Master's Thesis, Korea University, 2005)
Review of Third—Party Nature in the Case Seeking Indemnification in Relation to Industrial Accident Insurance Benefits Paid for a Heavy Equipment Accident, Practical Research IV (Southern Branch of Seoul District Court, 2005)
Requirements for ‘Anti—State Expressions’ under Article 7(5) of the National Security Act (Judicial Branch's Court Net, 2003)
Grounds for the Calculation Method and Calculation Ratio of Indirect Costs, etc. in Calculating Construction Costs (Judicial Branch's Court Net, 2002)
The Cause of the Lawsuit Seeking Nullification of Issuance of Convertible Bonds (Outstanding Thesis Award, Judicial Research and Training Institute, 2002)

Qualifications

2002 Korea