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Chun Wook HYUN Attorney

T.+82-2-3703-1130 F.+82-2-737-9091/9092
Chun Wook HYUN Attorney
Chun Wook HYUN Attorney

Chun Wook HYUNAttorney

T.+82-2-3703-1130 F.+82-2-737-9091/9092 E.cwhyun@kimchang.com

Areas of Expertise

Bio

Chun Wook Hyun is an attorney at Kim & Chang, who has served as the chair of Labor and Employment Law Practice since 1981. He practices primarily in labor and employment law. 

He has focused his practice on employment and labor law for over 35 years and has assisted numerous multinational and domestic corporations in all areas of employment and labor issues including restructuring and turn-around programs, industrial relations, collective bargaining negotiations and strategy, labor-related issues in M&A and crisis management, post-merger integration (PMI), HR policy design, HR compliance audit as well as major litigation cases involving wage and working hour claims, unfair labor practices, harassment issues and wrongful termination. 

A long-time legal counsel for the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Mr. Hyun was also actively involved in various legislation projects. As a public member of the Special Committee for the Labor Law Reform, Mr. Hyun contributed his knowledge and experience to Korea's labor law reforms. He actively participated in the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) as Co-Chairman of the Human Resources Committee. Mr. Hyun has given numerous lectures on topics related to HR, labor issues, and M&A for CEOs and HR managers of multinational and domestic companies. He was also a professor at the Korea University, Law school. Mr. Hyun was selected as the best labor and employment lawyer in 2008 by Chosun Daily. He currently serves as a director of Save the Children in Korea and a director of UN Global Compact Korean Association, and he was the chairman of the Korean Bar Association Legal Aid Foundation. 

Mr. Hyun co-authored "Korean Labor and Employment Laws" (1998), "A Guidebook: Labor & Employment Laws of Korea" (2010-2020) and authored "Legal Aspects of Technology Licensing in Korea," in the Journal of Transnational Law (Volume 27, 1988, No. 1) as well as numerous other articles. 

Mr. Hyun received his LL.B. from Seoul National University and his LL.M. from Harvard Law School. He also attended the Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea. He completed the CEO Program of the Warton School in 2008. He is admitted to the Korea and the New York bar.

Profile

Experience

Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2023-Present)

Advisor, Institute for Future Strategy, Seoul National University (2022-Present)

Kim & Chang (1981-Present) 

Director, UN Global Compact Korea (2020-Present) 

Director, Save the Children Korea (2017-Present) 

Chairman, Seoul High School Alumni Association (2018) 

Chairman, Korean Bar Association Legal Aid Foundation (2016-2018)

 

Adjunct Professor at the Korea University, Law School (2009-2012) 

Co-Chairman, AmCham HR Committee (1993-1996, 1998-2009) 

Legal Counsel for the Ministry of Employment and Labor (1992-1995, 1997-2009) 

Public Member of the Special Committee for the Labor Law Reform (1992-1997) 

Participant in the Foreign Lawyers Program of Sullivan & Cromwell, New York (1987-1988) 

Judge Advocate, Republic of Korea Navy (1978-1981)

Representative Mattersshow

  • Advised an IT company on labor and employment issues related to cost saving, workforce reduction and negotiation with the labor union. 
  • Advised a general insurance company on issues related to negotiation with the labor union. 
  • Advised a life insurance company on all aspects of labor and employment related issues in connection with the M&A process. 
  • Advised a cosmetic company on issues related to mediation of collective bargaining. 
  • Advised an auto maker on issues related to the National Assembly Hearing on the company’s labor and employment issues. 
  • Advised a manufacturing company on matters related to collective bargaining. 
  • Provided comprehensive advice on labor and employment related issues during the merger between two manufacturing companies and assisted the Newco in integrating the two companies’ HR system and working conditions. 
  • Advised a manufacturing company on issues related to negotiation with the labor union, HR compliance, and adoption of employee retirement pension system. 
  • Advised a paper manufacturing company in implementing an aggressive restructuring and turnaround program. 
  • Successfully defended an auto-parts manufacturing company in the wrongful termination case Advised a bank in adopting performance based pay system. 
  • Advised a life insurance company in implementing its aggressive restructuring and turnaround program and improving its severance pay system. 
  • Advised an IT company in adopting a retirement pension system. 
  • Advised a distribution company on labor and employment issues including employment transfer and negotiation with the labor union during the spin-off of a department into a separate company. 
  • Advised a medical instrument manufacturing company on all aspects of labor and employment related issues in connection with the closure of its manufacturing facility. 
  • Advised a refrigeration system manufacturing company on labor and employment related issues in connection with the relocation of its plant. 
  • Advised a liquor manufacturing company on M&A-related labor and employment issues.

Representative Activitiesshow

Awards

  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Labour & Employment (Who’s Who Legal, 2022-2023)
  • Thought Leader, Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders - Labour & Employment (Who’s Who Legal, 2022-2023)
  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Pensions & Benefits (Who’s Who Legal, 2021-2023)
  • The A-List: Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers, Asia Business Law Journal (Vantage Asia, 2021)
  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Labour & Employment (Who’s Who Legal, 2019-2022)
  • Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Employment (Chambers and Partners, 2010-2024)
  • Commendation from the President (1997)

Publications/Activities
    • PLC Employment and Employee Benefits Guide: Korea Chapter (Co-author, Practical Law Company, 2011-2019) 
    • A Guidebook Labor & Employment Laws of Korea (Co-author, Kim & Chang, 2010-2019) 
    • Korean Labor and Employment Laws (Co-author, 1998) 
    • Law and Practice Concerning Overseas Issuance of Korean Securities (Co-author, Korea Economic Daily, 1989) 
    • Legal Aspects of Technology Licensing in Korea, Columbia Journal of Transnational Law Volume 27, No. 1 (1988)

Education

    The Wharton School (CEO Program, 2008) 

    Harvard Law School (LL.M., 1987) 

    Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea (1978) 

    College of Law, Seoul National University (LL.B., 1976) 

    Seoul High School (1972)

Qualifications

    Admitted to bar, Korea, 1978; New York, 1988

Languages

Korean, English and Japanese

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Chun Wook HYUN
Attorney


T. +82-2-3703-1130      
F. +82-2-737-9091/9092
     


  




Chun Wook Hyun is an attorney at Kim & Chang, who has served as the chair of Labor and Employment Law Practice since 1981. He practices primarily in labor and employment law. 

He has focused his practice on employment and labor law for over 35 years and has assisted numerous multinational and domestic corporations in all areas of employment and labor issues including restructuring and turn-around programs, industrial relations, collective bargaining negotiations and strategy, labor-related issues in M&A and crisis management, post-merger integration (PMI), HR policy design, HR compliance audit as well as major litigation cases involving wage and working hour claims, unfair labor practices, harassment issues and wrongful termination. 

A long-time legal counsel for the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Mr. Hyun was also actively involved in various legislation projects. As a public member of the Special Committee for the Labor Law Reform, Mr. Hyun contributed his knowledge and experience to Korea's labor law reforms. He actively participated in the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) as Co-Chairman of the Human Resources Committee. Mr. Hyun has given numerous lectures on topics related to HR, labor issues, and M&A for CEOs and HR managers of multinational and domestic companies. He was also a professor at the Korea University, Law school. Mr. Hyun was selected as the best labor and employment lawyer in 2008 by Chosun Daily. He currently serves as a director of Save the Children in Korea and a director of UN Global Compact Korean Association, and he was the chairman of the Korean Bar Association Legal Aid Foundation. 

Mr. Hyun co-authored "Korean Labor and Employment Laws" (1998), "A Guidebook: Labor & Employment Laws of Korea" (2010-2020) and authored "Legal Aspects of Technology Licensing in Korea," in the Journal of Transnational Law (Volume 27, 1988, No. 1) as well as numerous other articles. 

Mr. Hyun received his LL.B. from Seoul National University and his LL.M. from Harvard Law School. He also attended the Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea. He completed the CEO Program of the Warton School in 2008. He is admitted to the Korea and the New York bar.






    Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2023-Present)

    Advisor, Institute for Future Strategy, Seoul National University (2022-Present)

    Kim & Chang (1981-Present) 

    Director, UN Global Compact Korea (2020-Present) 

    Director, Save the Children Korea (2017-Present) 

    Chairman, Seoul High School Alumni Association (2018) 

    Chairman, Korean Bar Association Legal Aid Foundation (2016-2018)

    Adjunct Professor at the Korea University, Law School (2009-2012) 

    Co-Chairman, AmCham HR Committee (1993-1996, 1998-2009) 

    Legal Counsel for the Ministry of Employment and Labor (1992-1995, 1997-2009) 

    Public Member of the Special Committee for the Labor Law Reform (1992-1997) 

    Participant in the Foreign Lawyers Program of Sullivan & Cromwell, New York (1987-1988) 

    Judge Advocate, Republic of Korea Navy (1978-1981)






  •   Advised an IT company on labor and employment issues related to cost saving, workforce reduction and negotiation with the labor union. 
  •   Advised a general insurance company on issues related to negotiation with the labor union. 
  •   Advised a life insurance company on all aspects of labor and employment related issues in connection with the M&A process. 
  •   Advised a cosmetic company on issues related to mediation of collective bargaining. 
  •   Advised an auto maker on issues related to the National Assembly Hearing on the company’s labor and employment issues. 
  •   Advised a manufacturing company on matters related to collective bargaining. 
  •   Provided comprehensive advice on labor and employment related issues during the merger between two manufacturing companies and assisted the Newco in integrating the two companies’ HR system and working conditions. 
  •   Advised a manufacturing company on issues related to negotiation with the labor union, HR compliance, and adoption of employee retirement pension system. 
  •   Advised a paper manufacturing company in implementing an aggressive restructuring and turnaround program. 
  •   Successfully defended an auto-parts manufacturing company in the wrongful termination case Advised a bank in adopting performance based pay system. 
  •   Advised a life insurance company in implementing its aggressive restructuring and turnaround program and improving its severance pay system. 
  •   Advised an IT company in adopting a retirement pension system. 
  •   Advised a distribution company on labor and employment issues including employment transfer and negotiation with the labor union during the spin-off of a department into a separate company. 
  •   Advised a medical instrument manufacturing company on all aspects of labor and employment related issues in connection with the closure of its manufacturing facility. 
  •   Advised a refrigeration system manufacturing company on labor and employment related issues in connection with the relocation of its plant. 
  •   Advised a liquor manufacturing company on M&A-related labor and employment issues.





Awards

  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Labour & Employment (Who’s Who Legal, 2022-2023)
  •   Thought Leader, Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders - Labour & Employment (Who’s Who Legal, 2022-2023)
  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Pensions & Benefits (Who’s Who Legal, 2021-2023)
  •   The A-List: Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers, Asia Business Law Journal (Vantage Asia, 2021)
  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Labour & Employment (Who’s Who Legal, 2019-2022)
  •   Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Employment (Chambers and Partners, 2010-2024)
  •   Commendation from the President (1997)

Publications/Activities

  •   PLC Employment and Employee Benefits Guide: Korea Chapter (Co-author, Practical Law Company, 2011-2019) 
  •   A Guidebook Labor & Employment Laws of Korea (Co-author, Kim & Chang, 2010-2019) 
  •   Korean Labor and Employment Laws (Co-author, 1998) 
  •   Law and Practice Concerning Overseas Issuance of Korean Securities (Co-author, Korea Economic Daily, 1989) 
  •   Legal Aspects of Technology Licensing in Korea, Columbia Journal of Transnational Law Volume 27, No. 1 (1988)





Education

    The Wharton School (CEO Program, 2008) 

    Harvard Law School (LL.M., 1987) 

    Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea (1978) 

    College of Law, Seoul National University (LL.B., 1976) 

    Seoul High School (1972)


Qualifications

    Admitted to bar, Korea, 1978; New York, 1988


Languages
  •    Korean, English and Japanese





Labor & Employment ,  Mergers & Acquisitions ,  Europe ,  Foreign Direct Investment ,  Corporate Governance & Shareholder Disputes ,  North Korea Investment & Consulting