BAE, KIM & LEE LLC (BKL) said on the 11th that it has hired foreign attorney Kang Hyeong-seok (New York) and attorney Lee Jin-uk.
The hires were made to strengthen advisory capabilities that cover domestic and cross-border transaction and investment, as well as industry-specific regulatory issues, in line with recent changes in the corporations mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market environment.
Foreign attorney Kang Hyeong-seok obtained his New York bar qualification in 2009, worked at Paul Hastings' New York office, and then at YulChon and Lee & Ko.
Kang advised on cross-border transaction matters across multiple industries, including Netflix's acquisition of equity in Studio Dragon, Macquarie Fund's sale of Megabox, and LVMH Group's acquisition of equity in Gentle Monster.
Attorney Lee Jin-uk is a legal professional with more than 15 years of experience, focusing on corporations M&A and healthcare. Lee advised on Mirae Asset Daewoo and Daewoong Pharmaceutical's acquisition of a Vietnamese pharmaceutical company, Dongwha Pharm's acquisition of Vietnamese pharmacy chain Trung Son Pharma, and matters involving vaccines between U.K. pharmaceutical company GSK plc and Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis.
BAE, KIM & LEE LLC brought the two on board because transaction structures in the recent M&A market have become rapidly complex. Today's M&A market is being shaped simultaneously by expanded overseas investment, industrial restructuring, and changes in the regulatory environment.
The move is aimed at building multifaceted advisory capabilities as high levels of industry understanding and regulatory responsiveness are increasingly required in areas such as cross-border transaction, private equity investment, and healthcare.
Kang and Lee will work in BAE, KIM & LEE LLC's corporations legal group on domestic and cross-border M&A, overseas investment, private equity investment, healthcare, and related regulatory matters.
Yoon Seong-jo, head of BAE, KIM & LEE LLC's corporations legal group, said, "Recent M&A transaction are shifting in a direction that requires both regulatory review and industry-specific expertise," adding, "With these hires, we have strengthened our ability to advise on complex transaction environments."