On the 31st, Law Firm YK disclosed the engagement of Professor Kim Hwa-jin from Seoul National University School of Law as an advisor. Professor Kim is a prominent figure in the realms of corporate governance and ESG in Korea.
김화진 법무법인 YK 고문 [사진=법무법인 YK]
Recognized as a pioneering scholar in Korean corporate law, Professor Kim brings a wealth of experience in both institutional design and corporate consultancy. His academic journey includes a Mathematics degree from Seoul National University, a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School, and a Doctorate in Law from the University of Munich. Internationally, he has imparted knowledge on corporate governance at the University of Michigan, Stanford University, Tel Aviv University, and New York University, contributing to leading journals such as those from Oxford and Cambridge. Presently, he holds significant roles such as Chairman of the Board at Samsung Securities and Senior Outside Director at Hyundai Mobis. His publications, notably "Ownership and Management" (2005), "Mergers and Acquisitions" (2008), and "Corporate Governance and Corporate Finance" (2010), have been acclaimed by the National Academy of Sciences of Korea as essential readings in governance studies.
Professor Kim has been instrumental in shaping policies and institutional frameworks, having chaired the Governance Improvement Advisory Committee of the National Pension Service and the Voting Rights Committee of the Korea ESG Standards Institute. His strategic input extends to Samsung Securities and Hyundai Mobis, where he focuses on improving board functions, internal controls, ESG compliance, and shareholder safeguards. His past roles include serving as an outside director and Chairman of the ESG Committee at HD Hyundai and contributing to the Hyundai Memorial Project Committee for the 20th anniversary of Asan Chung Ju-yung, resulting in the publication of "Asan Chung Ju-yung Legacy" (2021) at Seoul National University, which garnered substantial attention.
During a seminar on commercial law reforms co-hosted by YK and the Korea In-house Counsel Association on the 11th, Professor Kim delivered insights on "The Future of Korean Corporate Governance and Amended Commercial Law". He implied that while ESG, shareholder protection, and commercial law reforms are on the right trajectory, evaluating our capacity to manage these changes is imperative.
At YK, Professor Kim is anticipated to offer targeted guidance on navigating shareholder meeting conflicts and damage claims arising from commercial law updates. His expertise will also extend to reviewing shareholder protection in management rights transactions, refining board operations, and internal controls, and formulating corporate strategies amidst ESG institutionalization.
YK commented, "Professor Kim’s involvement comes at a pivotal moment when commercial law amendments and ESG regulations are gaining prominence, underscoring the importance of confronting institutional challenges for our corporate clients." The firm expects that "his combination of scholarly and practical experience will yield actionable insights in corporate governance decisions."