Byung Hwa LEE
변호사
T. 02-3477-8689
F. 02-3477-8669
E. bhlee@law-lin.com
Overview
Profile
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Byung Hwa Lee is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and the Compliance Practice Group at LIN. His practice expertise includes M&A, healthcare, antitrust & competition, ESG, and compliance.
Mr. Lee started his corporate legal practice at Kim, Chang & Lee in 1998, where he advised numerous domestic and foreign companies on various corporate matters. In 2008, he joined 3M Korea as General Counsel, managing all legal and compliance matters arising within the multinational company. Returning to private practice in 2018, he became a partner at Lee & Ko, the second-largest law firm in Korea, providing clients with effective and practical solutions based on a deep understanding of their business objectives and specific needs.
Mr. Lee is also very active in various professional associations and organizations devoted to promoting excellence in the legal profession. He formerly served as President of the Korea In-House Counsel Association and as Chairman of the Special Committee on In-House Counsels of the Korean Bar Association (KBA). He later served as Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the KBA and as Senior Vice President of the KBA from 2023 to 2025.
Based on his diverse practical experience in both law firms and corporations, and his extensive interactions with in-house lawyers and experts across various fields, he serves as a trusted advisor in addressing a wide range of client challenges.
Mr. Lee started his corporate legal practice at Kim, Chang & Lee in 1998, where he advised numerous domestic and foreign companies on various corporate matters. In 2008, he joined 3M Korea as General Counsel, managing all legal and compliance matters arising within the multinational company. Returning to private practice in 2018, he became a partner at Lee & Ko, the second-largest law firm in Korea, providing clients with effective and practical solutions based on a deep understanding of their business objectives and specific needs.
Mr. Lee is also very active in various professional associations and organizations devoted to promoting excellence in the legal profession. He formerly served as President of the Korea In-House Counsel Association and as Chairman of the Special Committee on In-House Counsels of the Korean Bar Association (KBA). He later served as Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the KBA and as Senior Vice President of the KBA from 2023 to 2025.
Based on his diverse practical experience in both law firms and corporations, and his extensive interactions with in-house lawyers and experts across various fields, he serves as a trusted advisor in addressing a wide range of client challenges.
Profile
Experience
- Partner, LIN (2025-present)
- Chairman of the Asia Subcommittee of the International Committee, Seoul Bar Association (2025-present)
- Legal Advisor, Seoul Metropolitan Government (2025-present)
- Expert Counselor, Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (2024-present)
- Member of the ESG Special Committee, Korean Bar Association (2024-present)
- Director, Gangneung-Wonju National University Development Fund Foundation (2024-present)
- Co-Chairman, Private-led Carbon Reduction Forum (2022-present)
- Director, Global Medical Non-profit Corporation (2022-present)
- Arbitrator, Korea Commercial Arbitration Center (2013-present)
- Senior Vice President, Korean Bar Association (2023-2025)
- Judge, MoneyToday Legal Awards (2023-2024)
- Member of the Judicial Appointment Document Screening Committee, Supreme Court (2023-2024)
- Chairman of the International Committee, the Korean Bar Association (2021-2023)
- Member of the Task Force for Promoting the Corporate Ethics and Compliance Program (KCP), Anti-Corruption and Civil rights Commission (2021) Advisory
- Chairman, Special Committee on In-House Counsels, Korean Bar Association (2020-2021)
- Member of the Advisory Committee to Revise the Standard Compliance Control Standards for Listed Companies, Ministry of Justice (2018)
- Member of the Operational Committee, Judicial Research and Training Institute (2017-2018)
- President, Korea In-House Counsel Association (2016-2018)
- Integrity Ombudsman and Legal Advisor, Korean Film Council (2015-2017)
- National Legislative Officer, Ministry of Justice (2011-2013)
- Lecturer and Member of the Evaluation Committee, Korea Copyright Commission (2008-2022)
- Litigation Attorney, Korea Fair Trade Commission (2000-2002)
- Partner, Lee & Ko (2018-2025)
- General Counsel, Legal Affairs Division, 3M Korea (2008-2017)
- Associate and Partner at Kim, Chang & Lee (1998-2008)
Representative Matters
[M&A & Corporate Advisory]
•Advised on new share subscription investment, share transfers, asset transfers, business transfers, and post-merger integration (PMI)
•Advised on regulations for listed companies and holding companies
•Counseled on management disputes, shareholders' meetings, and board operations
•Provided general corporate legal support to numerous venture capitals and start-up companies
•Advised on responding to delisting
[Compliance]
•Established global compliance systems for affiliates of major business groups
•Established an enterprise-wide compliance system for a major pharmaceutical company (in collaboration with a consulting firm)
•Established an enterprise-wide compliance system for a major energy company
•Conducted internal investigations of alleged compliance violations and advised on improvement measures
•Established an anti-corruption compliance system
•Built an integrity evaluation system for vendors
•Lectured on compliance and ESG at various companies, seminars, symposiums and courses
[Environmental, ESG, Industrial Safety]
•Established a compliance system for chemical substances and environmental regulations
•Provided counsel on compliance with the Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemical Substances (“K-REACH”)
•Advised on responses to investigations or sanctions imposed by regulatory agencies such as the Ministry of the Environment
•Established an ESG risk management system
•Advised on ESG status diagnoses and rating improvements
•Advised on preparation of sustainability reports and corporate governance reports
•Reviewed potential greenwashing risks and provided advisory services - Advised on voluntary carbon credit projects and voluntary carbon markets
•Advised on responses to regulatory investigations and recall procedures for filters containing toxic substances
[Antitrust & Competition]
•Mergers and Acquisitions: Conducted anti-competitive impact analysis for domestic and international M&A transactions, represented clients in merger filings before the KFTC and foreign competition authorities, and represented interested parties in merger review procedures
•Collusive Conduct: Advised on responses to the KFTC's cartel investigations and sanctions, and provided counsel related to leniency applications
•Unfair Trade Practices / Abuse of Market Dominance / Unfair Internal Transactions: Advised on whether specific actions constitute the aforementioned violations, and counseled on responding to investigations and sanctions by the KFTC
•Violations of antitrust and competition laws such as the Subcontracting Act, Labeling and Advertising Act, Franchise Business Act, Act on the Regulation of Terms and Conditions, Large Retail Business Act, E-Commerce Act, Door-to-door Sales Act, Consumer Protection Act, etc.: Advised on whether specific actions constitute violations of the aforementioned laws and counseled on responding to investigations and sanctions by the KFTC
•Litigation Related to Antitrust & Competition: Represented clients in litigation against KFTC decisions (administrative appeals) and civil damages claims, and served as litigation representative for the KFTC in numerous cases
•Reviewed and established corporate antitrust and competition compliance programs
•Advised victims of antitrust and competition violations and assisted in filing reports with the KFTC
•Provided legal support and represented clients during on-site investigations by the KFTC
[Employment & Labor]
•Advised and represented clients in litigation regarding the calculation of ordinary wages and severance pay
•Advised and represented clients in litigation related to workforce reductions due to corporate restructuring and M&As
•Provided counsel on disciplinary actions, such as dismissals, and represented clients in appeals procedures before Labor Relations Commissions and courts
•Advised and represented clients in litigation concerning non-regular employment issues such as internal subcontracting and illegal dispatching of workers
•Advised on collective agreements, collective bargaining, labor disputes, unfair labor practices and provided counsel for inspections by labor inspectors
•Advised and represented clients in litigation related to occupational accidents and industrial safety and health
•Advised and represented clients in litigation related to trade secret protection upon transfer of employees
[Healthcare]
•Advised on laws regulating the manufacturing, import, and distribution of medical devices
•Provided advisory services regarding advertisements in violation of the Medical Device Act and medical device licensing, and represented clients in responding to investigations by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS)
•Represented a pharmaceutical company in a patent infringement dispute
•Advised a cosmetics company on legal issues related to establishment, manufacturing, and sales, and represented the client in a trademark infringement dispute
•Advised a Korean pharmaceutical company in the acquisition of part of the business of a foreign pharmaceutical company
[Tax Litigation]
•Represented a client in litigation seeking cancellation of corporate tax assessment related to a special tax exemption
•Represented a client in litigation seeking cancellation of penalty tax imposed for violation of value-added tax obligations
•Represented a client in litigation seeking cancellation of securities transaction tax related to the transfer price of unlisted shares
•Represented a client in litigation seeking cancellation of income tax assessment related to stock options and cryptocurrencies
Education
•Seoul National University, College of Law (LL.B.)
•Seoul National University, Graduate School of Law (LL.M. in Corporate Law)
•Judicial Research and Training Institute, Supreme Court of Korea
•Vanderbilt University Law School, TN, USA (LL.M.)
•Advanced Legal Studies Program on Antitrust & Competition Law at Seoul National University, College of Law
•Advanced Legal Studies Program on Labor Law , Seoul National University, College of Law
Qualifications
•Attorney at Law
•Patent Attorney
•Tax Accountant
Publications
•A Study on 'Legal Remedies for Stakeholders in Corporate Mergers' (Seoul National University, Advanced Legal Studies Program, 2000)
•A Study on 'Procedural Legality of Dismissals' (Agricultural Cooperative College, NH Management Research Institute, 2002)
•The Legal Implications of Covenants Not to Compete (LL.M. Article, 2004)
•Contributed to the “Antitrust & Competition Law” section in the Korean Bar Association's Compliance Officer Handbook (2018)
•Contributed to the 'Roles and Responsibilities of In-House Counsel' section in the Korean Bar Association’s In-house Counsel Handbook (2024)
Practice Areas
•Corporate Advisory / M&A
•Environment / ESG / Compliance
•Antitrust & Competition
•Human Resources / Labor
•Healthcare (Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology)
•Tax Litigation
Languages
•Korean
•English