Overview
Wee-Soo Han is a partner at Bae, Kim & Lee LLC. Based on 26 years of work experience as a judge [including his military service period (as an advocate judge)], Mr. Han's practice focuses on tax disputes and administrative and constitutional litigations and other general civil/criminal litigations.
Mr. Han served at Seoul District Court as a judge, Judicial Research and Training Institute as a professor, and Seoul Administrative Court as a presiding judge. Since joining BKL in 2008, he has won many lawsuits such as tax, administrative, and constitutional lawsuits. He was a member of National Human Rights Commission of Korea, the president of Korean Society for Media Law, Ethics and Policy Research, a legal advisor of National Tax Services and Korea Customs Service, and a member of Central Administrative Appeals Commission. He is an expert in civil litigations, administrative, and constitutional litigations. He wrote many papers and was once appointed on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on 14 January 2015.
Related Practices
Representative Experience
2008-Present
Bae, Kim & Lee LLC
2005-2008
Presiding Judge, Seoul High Court
2004-2005
Presiding Judge, Daegu High Court
2002-2004
Presiding Researcher, Constitutional Court of Korea
2001-2002
Presiding Judge, Seoul Administrative Court
1999-2001
Professor, Judicial Research and Training Institute, Supreme Court of Korea
1997-1999
Presiding Judge, Daegu District Court
1996-1994
Judge, Seoul High Court
1994-1996
Examination Officer, National Court Administration
1993-1994
Judge, Seoul High Court
1991-1993
Judge, Busan High Court
1990-1991
Judge, Masan District Court
1987-1990
Judge, Seoul Civil District Court
1985-1987
Judge, Seoul Criminal District Court
1982-1985
Judge Advocate, Republic of Korea Army
See More
2019-Present
Advisory Chief, Military Human Rights Committee, Ministry of National Defense
2016-Present
Mmeber, Administrative Consultation and Coordination Committee, Ministry of the Interior
2012-2018
Non-standing Member, National Human Rights Commission of Korea
2012-2014
Legal Adviser, Tax Law, National Tax Service
2011-Present
Legal Adviser, Korea Customs Service
2011-Present
Legislative Officer, Ministry of Government Legislation
2011-2014
Member, National Tax Law Interpretation and Review Committee, National Tax Service
2010-2014
Commissioner, National Environmental Dispute Resolution Commission
2009-2015
Commissioner, The Administrative Appeals Commission, Central Administrative Appeals Commission
2009-2011
The 5th Chair of Korean Society for Media Law, Ethics and Policy Research
Representative Matters
Successfully represented client in the constitutional case seeking the affirmation of the unconstitutionality of the laws and regulations on the examination of dental professional (rendered by the Constituional Court to be unconformable to the constitution)
Successfully represented client in the constitutional case seeking the affirmation of the unconstitutionality of the provisions on the sale of MBC broadcasting advertisements through the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation (rendered by the Constitutional Court to be conformable to the constitution)
Successfully represented client in the constitutional case seeking the affirmation of the unconstitutionality of the Korea Communications Commission Act on the screening of postings on the internet (rendered by the Constitutional Court to be conformable to the constitution)
Successfully represented client in the case seeking the withdrawal of the decision to refuse to rectify the assessment of value-added tax in respect of the mobile phone subsidy (Supreme Court)
Successfully defended an Oil Company A on a lawsuit seeking to enforce a foreign arbitral award in Korea in connection with disputes among shareholders
Successfully represented client in the constitutional case seeking the affirmation of the unconstitutionality of the laws and regulations on the examination of dental professional (rendered by the Constituional Court to be unconformable to the constitution)
Successfully represented client in the constitutional case seeking the affirmation of the unconstitutionality of the provisions on the sale of MBC broadcasting advertisements through the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation (rendered by the Constitutional Court to be conformable to the constitution)
Successfully represented client in the constitutional case seeking the affirmation of the unconstitutionality of the Korea Communications Commission Act on the screening of postings on the internet (rendered by the Constitutional Court to be conformable to the constitution)
Successfully represented client in the case seeking the withdrawal of the decision to refuse to rectify the assessment of value-added tax in respect of the mobile phone subsidy (Supreme Court)
Successfully defended an Oil Company A on a lawsuit seeking to enforce a foreign arbitral award in Korea in connection with disputes among shareholders
Successfully represented client in the constitutional complaint involving the public notice of American beef imports
Successfully represented client by obtaining the Supreme Court ruling which can be descried as legal precedent with respect to the exemption of deemed acquisition tax for oligopolistic stockholders in connection with real estate conditioned on contributed acceptance
Successfully represented client in the constitutional case seeking the affirmation of unconstitutionality of the public announcement of the Japanese Wartime Comfort Women Agreement between South Korea and Japan (rejected by the Constitutional Court)
Successfully represented client by obtaining the Supreme Court ruling which can be descried as legal precedent with respect to the requirements for the application of special cases on capital gains tax on the shares in venture capital firm under the Restriction of Special Taxation Act
Successfully defended before the Supreme Court with respect to the approval for establishment of local Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Advised and represented Hyundai Engineering & Construction in the litigation involving the merger and acquisition
Education
1990
University of Pennsylvania Law School (LL.M.)
1983
Seoul National University (LL.M.)
1982
Judicial Research and Training Institute, Supreme Court of Korea
1980
Seoul National University (LL.B.)
Selected Activities
Publications
Civil Act Commentary (Co-author, Korean Society of Judicial Administration, 2016)
Tax Law Issues I: The Effect of Post-Import Declaration Price Adjustment on Customs Duty (Co-author, Kyungin Publishing, 2015)
Media-Related Lawsuits (Co-author, Korean Society of Judicial Administration, 2007)
A Study on the Regulation of Hate Speech - Focus on the legislative obligations under international human rights law, The Journal of Constitution Vol. 30, pp. 141-200 (Constitutional Court of Korea, 2019)
Regulation on Advertisement and Freedom of Expression, The Journal of Constitution Vol. 18, pp. 341-410 (Constitutional Court of Korea, 2007)
Practical Issues relating to Lawsuits Seeking Disclosure of Information, Human Right and Justice No. 304, pp. 31-60 (Korean Bar Association, 2001)
Qualifications
2009
Certified Tax Consultant (Korea)
1982
Korea
