Heon-Yup LEE - Kim & Chang

Bio

Heon-Yup Lee is a foreign attorney at Kim & Chang and a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice.

Mr. Lee assists multinational companies doing business in Korea in connection with key labor and employment matters requiring strategic advice, including responding to HR compliance issues raised by employees (such as workplace harassment), disciplinary action, mutual separation and dismissal, workforce restructuring, and labor union relations. In particular, Mr. Lee assists clients with risk management in the face of the rapidly changing regulatory environment of Korea due to legislative developments such as the amended Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act (commonly known as the “Yellow Envelope Act”).

Mr. Lee’s practice also covers occupational safety and health matters, including response to serious accident under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. In addition, Mr. Lee’s practice encompasses HR matters in connection with M&A transactions.

View All

Profile

Experience

Kim & Chang (2003-2005, 2006-2013, 2015-Present)

One Law Partners, LLC (2014-2015)

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, Hong Kong (2005-2006)

Seward & Kissel LLP, New York (2001-2003)

Representative Mattersshow

Representation of multionational companies in connection with:

Employee separation cases (both individual and collective), including preparation of strategy, development of communication guideline, negotiation of required documentation and implementation of related processes
Handling of wrongful termination and other types of disputes and government proceedings involving alleged non-compliance by employers with labor and employment laws (e.g., illegal worker dispatch, unfair labor practice and underpayment of wage and allowance)
Disciplinary action subsequent to internal investigation of employee misconduct
Response to union formation and advice on ollective bargaining agreement negotiations
Compliance with the Serious Accidents Punishment Act
Response to government investigation and subsequent proceedings concerning workplace accidents
Advice on employee transfer issues and response to employee demands (including “M&A bonus” and job security) in M&A transactions

Representative Activitiesshow

Awards

Leading Lawyer, Lexology Index: Labour & Employment (Lexology Index, 2025)
Leading Lawyer, Lexology Index: Korea, Labour & Employment (Lexology Index, 2022-2026)