Bae, Kim & Lee LLC (BKL) has hired Jeong Wan-gyu, former head of the Credit Finance Association, and Ahn Byung-nam, former Head of Team at the Financial Supervisory Service, both experts in financial regulation and supervision. The hires aim to strengthen advisory capabilities in financial regulation response, digital finance, and virtual assets.
BKL said it hired Jeong as senior advisor and Ahn, former Head of Team, as senior professional advisor. With these hires, BKL plans to expand its capabilities in financial regulation response, supervisory investigations, dispute resolution, policy advisory, legal advisory on digital finance and virtual assets, and responses to international financial disputes.
Jeong graduated from the Department of Public Administration at Korea University and entered public service after passing the 34th higher civil service exam. Jeong earned master's degrees in finance and policy from the Graduate School of Public Administration at Seoul National University, the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, and the KDI School of Public Policy and Management.
Jeong served at the Financial Services Commission as head of the asset management division, head of the market supervision division, head of the capital markets division, head of the administrative personnel division, Director General for Planning and Coordination, and director for microfinance and inclusive finance policy, among other roles. Jeong was responsible for overhauling the financial market regulatory framework and establishing consumer protection policies. Jeong later served as president of Korea Securities Finance Corporation, carrying out securities market liquidity provision and industry support, and since 2022 led work on payment systems, digital finance, and the venture capital industry as head of the Credit Finance Association.
Ahn, senior professional advisor, graduated from the Department of Business Administration at Korea University and spent 25 years at the Financial Supervisory Service handling supervision and examinations of financial institutions. Ahn also earned an MBA from Alliance Manchester Business School in the United Kingdom.
Ahn served in the FSS Banking Supervision Department, the Banking Examination Department, and the Sanctions Review Department, among others. Most recently, Ahn was head of examination planning in the Banking Examination Department and head of continuous monitoring, overseeing practical bank examinations. From 2022 to 2024, Ahn led the Digital Assets Research Team and served as general head of virtual asset supervision, overseeing the establishment of digital asset supervision and consumer protection frameworks. From 2019 for two years, Ahn was seconded to the World Bank (IBRD), gaining experience in global financial regulation.
Jeong said, "Based on BKL's global network and sector-specific expertise, I will help provide practical and strategic solutions in the complex regulatory environment facing financial institutions and corporations."
Ahn said, "Drawing on experience covering both risk supervision and examinations in the traditional banking sector and innovation finance systems such as digital assets, I will proactively manage regulatory risks for financial institutions and corporations and the challenges of digital transformation."
Kim Sang-gon, managing partner at BKL, said, "Jeong's policy insight and Ahn's practical capabilities in supervising traditional and digital finance complement each other," adding, "With both joining, we can provide deeper and broader advisory services to our clients."