South Korean law firm Shin & Kim has expanded its white-collar defence practice with the appointment of Kisoo Han as a partner from Kim & Chang.
Han brings two decades of prior judicial experience to his new role, and his arrival comes amid “big systemic change” in the jurisdiction.
“Big systemic changes are reshaping South Korea’s white-collar crime framework, including the abolition of prosecutors’ investigative authority and the establishment of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency,” Jong-Han Oh, senior managing partner at Shin & Kim, told Asia Business Law Journal.
Oh said Han conducted research on white-collar crime as a judicial policy officer at the National Court Administration during his tenure on the bench and handled various white-collar cases at tribunals, including the Seoul High Court. After stepping down as a judge, Han built his practice as a lawyer at Kim & Chang, managing a broad spectrum of white-collar crime matters.
“Han’s extensive trial experience and expertise in white-collar crime will create strong synergies with Shin & Kim’s existing litigation capabilities,” said Oh.
Han passed the Korean bar examination in 2001 and served as a judge from 2004 to 2024 before joining Kim & Chang. During his tenure at Kim & Chang, Han secured an appellate acquittal on charges under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act stemming from a fire incident at an undisclosed company. This case is currently pending before the Supreme Court of Korea.
