Bae, Kim & Lee LLC houses a ‘strong team of experts, many of whom have worked for the Korea Fair Trade Commission’. The practice assists high-profile domestic and multinational clients with antitrust cases concerning areas such as artels, merger controls, damages suits and unfair trade practices. The firm’s Fair Trade Criminal Investigation Response Center helps clients prepare for various criminal risks in areas including securities finance, fair trade, and taxation. Keumseok Oh has a proven track record in engaging with the KFTC in the context of M&A transactions. Seong Un Yun is noted by peers in the market for his work on damages claims involving fair trade issues. Senior foreign attorney Sanghoon Shin is well positioned to help international clients understand and prepare for the Korean antitrust regulatory environment. Kee Won Shin and Hyuna Kim are described as ‘excellent partners and specialists in competition law’. Litigating matters concerning administrative appeal makes up part of  Junghun Kim’s varied case load. Hong Ki Kim is the practice head.

Domestic and international clients from industries such as ICT, medical and pharmaceutical, automotive and aviation trust the sizeable team at Kim & Chang for assistance with issues such as merger control, international cartel and abuse of market dominance. International cartel cases and foreign-to-foreign mergers is another area of longstanding strength. Youngjin Jung co-heads the practice; his expertise and the firm’s reach has recently been demonstrated by the key role Jung has played coordinating the global merger filing in several jurisdictions for Korean Air’s acquisition of Asiana Airlines. Gene-Oh (Gene) Kim completes the leadership team and counts illegal collusion, abuse of market dominance and unfair trade practices as core areas of expertise. Foreign attorneys Brian Tae-Hyun Chung and Jung-Won Hyun  are key contacts for merger filings for inbound and outbound M&A transactions and merger control cases involving remedies issued by the KFTC, respectively. Representing domestic and online platforms in KFTC investigations stands out as an area of recent activity for Kyung Min Koh. Min-Ho Lee is praised for his ‘good knowledge of fair trade’. Hemi Lee is a further name to note.

Lee & Ko has a proven track record of handling major cases concerning unfair trade practices, cartels, and merger control; antitrust compliance and antitrust litigation are further strengths, with the practice well placed to call upon the services of the firm’s in-house economists when preparing evidence to be heard before the KFTC and Korean courts. Hwan Jeong heads up the antitrust and competition group; he has longstanding experience of leading a wide array of competition law mandates extending to abuse of dominance matters. Jang Woo Park steers the antitrust criminal defense team, while In Seok Lee steers the administrative and civil antitrust litigation team. Yong Seok Ahn frequently assists multinational companies with cases related to Korean competition laws. Suruyn Kim has a notable focus on merger review cases; Jeong-Ho Sun is equipped to assist with M&A due diligence, while Jong Youn Han has specific know-how relating to the IT and semiconductor market. Byong Ki Chung is a first-choice expert for antitrust damages litigations cases. Jung Won Kwon is further recommended.

Yulchon’s excellent knowledge of the law’ shines through in a wide range of antitrust and competition work for major domestic and international clients, with the healthcare sector an area of notable expertise for the firm. Behavioural matters, merger controls, abuse of dominance and deceptive labelling are among the areas in which the practice excels. Sung Bom Park steers the team and has a strong track record in handling abuse of dominance cases involving global technology companies. Foreign attorney Seuk Joon Lee is a key contact for pharmaceutical companies, while fellow foreign attorney Cecil Saehoon Chung has a strong focus on international issues in the antitrust space. Woo Yul Lee is a further key contact. Song Ryu joined the practice from Yoon & Yang LLC in summer 2023.

The combination of ‘excellent legal skills’ and ‘creative strategic thinking’ at Shin & Kim allows the firm to handle a wide range of major antitrust cases. Merger filings for high-profile M&A transactions and international and domestic cartel matters stand out as particular strengths. Young Chul Yim leads the practice. His time serving as general counsel of the KFTC has given him a panoramic understanding of Korean antitrust law. Foreign practitioner John Choi is an authority on international cartel cases. Jooyoung Park’s varied practice extends to multi-jurisdictional abuse of dominance cases, while merger filing expert Sangdon Lee handles between 60 and 70 merger filings each year. Geun-Bae Seok is singled out for his expertise in cartel mandates.

Praised for its ‘creative and practical advice on complex issues’, Yoon & Yang LLC are well positioned to handle antitrust cases encompassing abuse of market dominance, cartels, mergers, and unfair business practices. Hoil Yoon and Sang Oh Jeon lead the team, while the latter is well-versed in matters concerning alleged violations of the Fair Transactions in Subcontracting Act, while Suakbuam Hong is equipped to handle cases involving cartels. Soomin Kim is highlighted for her handling of unfair support practice mandates. Chul Ho Kim is frequently instructed by major Korean companies such as Samsung and Korean Air. Song Ryu  departed the practice in summer 2023.

Barun Law is geared to handle cases such as cartels, unfair trade practices and unfair supportive acts. Kyung Hwan Chung and Gwang Hyeon Baek head up the team. The latter recently played a key role, alongside Hye Sook Seo and Yang Hun Chung, in the firm’s recent representation of the KFTC at the Korea Supreme court, a matter that showcased the practice’s reach and expertise.

Well-versed in antitrust issues, such as the enforcement of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act, DR & AJU LLC is a popular choice for businesses from sectors including telecoms and healthcare. Practice head Sang Mo Koo has deep experience in investigations and litigation regarding the Fair Transactions in Franchise Business Act. Jeong Ran Lee is embedded in antitrust cases pertaining to fair trade. Ki Sung Lee and Min Jeong Kwon are further names to note.

Noted for its ‘diverse experience and knowledge in the field of antitrust law’, Jipyong LLC covers a wealth of issues in the antitrust and competition space including abuse of market dominance, rendering unfair assistance to specially related persons and illegal cartel conduct. A trio of partners oversee matters: Gee Hong Kim’s expertise in online platform regulations showcases his ability to stay at the cutting edge of competition law; Byung Joo Lee’s practice extends to the representation of clients in international cartel cases; and Poom Jang has won plaudits for his handling of abuse of monopoly power cases. San Jin Park is a further key contact.