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Sae Youn KIM Attorney

T.+82-2-3703-5758 F.+82-2-737-9091/9092
Sae Youn KIM Attorney
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Sae Youn KIM Attorney

Sae Youn KIMAttorney

T.+82-2-3703-5758 F.+82-2-737-9091/9092 E.saeyoun.kim@kimchang.com

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Areas of Expertise

Bio

Sae Youn Kim is an attorney at Kim & Chang. Ms. Kim is a senior member of International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation team.

Ms. Kim practices primarily in the areas of international litigation and arbitration with an emphasis on commercial and international law. 

Before joining Kim & Chang, she served as a judge at various Korean district courts, and practiced as a key member in major Korean law firms. Ms. Kim also sits as an arbitrator. Her expertise in international dispute resolution has been recognized by the variety of roles she holds and held in various institutions, including but not limited to a Commissioner of the Korea Trade Commission, a Vice-Chair of the Arbitration Committee of the International Bar Association, a Co-Chair of the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association, and a Court member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. She is regularly selected as a leading lawyer by publications such as Chambers Global, Who’s Who Legal, Legal 500, and Asialaw. 

She has co-authored various publications on several aspects of Korean law, including commercial litigation, arbitration, investment arbitration, construction, and privilege. She also speaks regularly in conferences organized by the International Bar Association, Inter Pacific Bar Association, and various arbitral institutions across the world.  Besides being regularly selected as leading lawyer, she was also awarded Commended Counsel by ASIAN-MENA COUNSEL in 2016 and Woman Lawyer of the Year, by ALB Korea Law Awards in 2018.

Ms. Kim received an LL.M. from Duke University Law School in 2007, and her LL.B. from Seoul National University College of Law in 1991. She graduated the Judicial Training and Research Institute by the Supreme Court of Korea in 1994. She speaks and practices in both Korean and English.

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Profile

Experience

Member, KCAB INTERNATIONAL Women’s Interest Committee (2021-Present) 

Court Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration (2021-Present) 

Member, International Arbitration Committee, KCAB INTERNATIONAL (2021-Present) 

Vice-Chair, IBA Arbitration Committee (2021-Present) 

Co-Chair, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee, IPBA (2020-Present) 

Kim & Chang (2019-Present) 

Alternate Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration (2019-2021) 

Commissioner, Korea Trade Commission (2018-2021) 

Co-Chair, Asia Pacific Arbitration Group, IBA (2019-2020) 

Vice President, Korean Council of International Arbitration (2018-Present) 

Sponsorship Officer, Litigation Committee, IBA (2018) 

Vice Chair, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee, IPBA (2017-2020) 

Regional Representative Asia General, Litigation Committee, IBA (2016-2017) 

Member, Board of Advisors, FDI Moot (2016-Present) 

Member, Committee for Legislation of Act on Promotion of Arbitration Industry (2015) 

Member, Legal Advisory Board to the Ministry of Justice (2015-Present) 

Arbitrator, SIAC (2014-Present) 

Member, Working Group on Harmonizing Arbitration Laws, APAG, IBA (2014-2016) 

Member, Committee for Revision of Arbitration Act, Ministry of Justice (2013-2014) 

Board Member, Korean Council of International Arbitration (2012-Present) 

Board Member, International Association of Korean Lawyers (2012-Present) 

Advisor, Advisory Board on Investor State Dispute, Ministry of Justice (2011-Present) 

Commissioner, Industry Accident Compensation Insurance Appeal Committee (2009) 

Arbitrator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (2008-Present) 

Yulchon LLC (2005-2019) 

Member, The Central Administration Council (2004-2010) 

Lee & Ko (2001-2005) 

Judge, Suwon District Court (2000-2001) 

Judge, Daejeon District Court (1998-2000) 

Judge, Seoul District Court (1996-1998) 

Judge, Seoul Southern District Court (1994-1996) 

Representative Mattersshow

Arbitration Cases
 
  • Represented the Republic of Korea in a treaty arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules between Korea and Iranian investors 
  • Represented a large-scale Korean construction company in an SIAC arbitration regarding the construction contract between the Korean company and a Vietnamese joint venture 
  • Represented a large-scale Korean construction company in an ICC arbitration arising out of a construction project for military facilities between the Korean company and an American construction company
  • Represented a large-scale Korean company in an ICC arbitration regarding a gas plant construction project between the Korean company and a Saudi Arabian construction company 
  • Represented a Korean construction company in an ICC arbitration involving a construction agreement between the Korean company and a Korean subsidiary of a Singaporean logistics company
  • Represented a major Korean trading company in an SIAC arbitration regarding a supply agreement between the Korean company and a Swiss coal supplier
  • Represented a major Korean trading company in an SIAC arbitration regarding the supply agreement between the Korean trading company and a Vietnamese steel company
  • Represented a Korean manufacturer in an ICC arbitration regarding the supply agreement between the Korean company and an Italian fashion company
  • Represented a major Korean construction company in an arbitration before the Vietnam International Arbitration Center regarding a large-scale construction project in Hanoi between the Korean construction company and a Vietnamese state owned enterprise 
  • Represented a major Korean broadcasting company in an UNCITRAL arbitration regarding a license agreement between the Korean company and a British solution provider 
  • Represented a major Korean construction company in an ICDR arbitration regarding the national road construction agreement in a Central Asian country between the Korean company and an American construction company 
  • Represented a major Korean construction company in a KCAB arbitration regarding the construction agreement between the Korean company and a Qatari construction company  
  • Represented a Korean automotive parts manufacturer in a KCAB arbitration regarding the renewal of product supply agreements between the Korean company and a US agency 
  • Represented a major Korean cosmetics manufacturer in a KCAB arbitration regarding a distribution agreement between the Korean company and a Chinese distributor 
  • Represented a major Korean steel manufacturer in an ICC arbitration regarding a license agreement between the Korean company and a US manufacturer of special materials 
  • Represented a major Korean mobile communications technology company in an ICC arbitration regarding the disputes over stock option of a joint venture established between the Korean company and a major Indonesian media company
  • Represented a major Korean construction company in an ICC arbitration regarding the disputes over an expressway construction project between the Korean company and a government agency of a CIS country
  • Represented the world’s largest global liquid cargo transportation company in an ICC arbitration regarding the disputes over management control of a joint venture established in Korea 
  • Represented a Korean local government in an ICC arbitration regarding the termination of the concession agreement for a private investment project with a foreign joint venture

Representative Activitiesshow

Awards

  • Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers: Dispute Resolution (Thomson Reuters, 2022)
  • Expert Guides: Commercial Arbitration (Expert Guides, 2021)
  • Leading Practitioner, Expert Guides - Women in Business Law: Commercial Arbitration (Expert Guides, 2020-2021)
  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Mediation (Who’s Who Legal, 2020-2022)
  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2020-2022)
  • Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: Top 100 Women in Litigation (Euromoney, 2020-2022)
  • Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration (Euromoney, 2020-2022)
  • Leading Individual, Chambers Global, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Chambers and Partners, 2020-2022)
  • The A-List: Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers, Asia Business Law Journal (Vantage Asia, 2019, 2021)
  • Leading Individual, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific: International Arbitration (Legalease, 2018-2022)
  • Dispute Resolution Star, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration (Euromoney, 2018-2019)
  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2018, 2020)
  • Woman Lawyer of the Year, ALB Korea Law Awards (ALB, 2018)
  • Leading Commercial Arbitration Experts, Who’s Who Legal (Who’s Who Legal, 2016)
  • Commended Counsel, Asian-MENA Counsel (2016)
  • Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Chambers and Partners, 2014-2022)
  • Leading Lawyer/Market Leading Lawyer, Asialaw Leading Lawyers: Dispute Resolution (Euromoney, 2009, 2016-2022)

Publications/Activities
    • Korea’s Arbitration Act is Revised for a New World, The Lawyer (2016) 
    • Commercial Litigation (2nd Edition): Korea Chapter, Sweet & Maxwell International Series (Thomson Reuters, 2015) 
    • The International Comparative Legal Guide to: International Arbitration 2015 (12th Edition) - Korea Chapter (2015) 
    • Commercial Litigation (2nd Edition): Korea Chapter, Sweet & Maxwell (Thomson Reuters, 2015) 
    • Construction and projects in South Korea: Overview, Construction and Projects Multi-Jurisdictional Guide (Co-author, 2014) 
    • Managing International Construction Claims in Preparation of International Arbitration - Research on International Trade Law, Korea International Trade Law Association (2013) 
    • Guide to Dispute Resolution in Asia: Korean section (Herbert Smith Freehills, 2013) 
    • Guide to Privilege in Asia Pacific: Korean section (Herbert Smith Freehills, 2012) 
    • Dispute Resolution Review: Korean section (Law Business Research, 2011)

Education

    Duke Law School (LL.M., 2007)

    Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea (1994)

    Seoul National University College of Law (LL.B., 1991)

Qualifications

    Admitted to bar, Korea, 1994; New York, 2011

Languages

Korean and English

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Sae Youn KIM
Attorney


T. +82-2-3703-5758      
F. +82-2-737-9091/9092      
  




Sae Youn Kim is an attorney at Kim & Chang. Ms. Kim is a senior member of International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation team.

Ms. Kim practices primarily in the areas of international litigation and arbitration with an emphasis on commercial and international law. 

Before joining Kim & Chang, she served as a judge at various Korean district courts, and practiced as a key member in major Korean law firms. Ms. Kim also sits as an arbitrator. Her expertise in international dispute resolution has been recognized by the variety of roles she holds and held in various institutions, including but not limited to a Commissioner of the Korea Trade Commission, a Vice-Chair of the Arbitration Committee of the International Bar Association, a Co-Chair of the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association, and a Court member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. She is regularly selected as a leading lawyer by publications such as Chambers Global, Who’s Who Legal, Legal 500, and Asialaw. 

She has co-authored various publications on several aspects of Korean law, including commercial litigation, arbitration, investment arbitration, construction, and privilege. She also speaks regularly in conferences organized by the International Bar Association, Inter Pacific Bar Association, and various arbitral institutions across the world.  Besides being regularly selected as leading lawyer, she was also awarded Commended Counsel by ASIAN-MENA COUNSEL in 2016 and Woman Lawyer of the Year, by ALB Korea Law Awards in 2018.

Ms. Kim received an LL.M. from Duke University Law School in 2007, and her LL.B. from Seoul National University College of Law in 1991. She graduated the Judicial Training and Research Institute by the Supreme Court of Korea in 1994. She speaks and practices in both Korean and English.






    Member, KCAB INTERNATIONAL Women’s Interest Committee (2021-Present) 

    Court Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration (2021-Present) 

    Member, International Arbitration Committee, KCAB INTERNATIONAL (2021-Present) 

    Vice-Chair, IBA Arbitration Committee (2021-Present) 

    Co-Chair, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee, IPBA (2020-Present) 

    Kim & Chang (2019-Present) 

    Alternate Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration (2019-2021) 

    Commissioner, Korea Trade Commission (2018-2021) 

    Co-Chair, Asia Pacific Arbitration Group, IBA (2019-2020) 

    Vice President, Korean Council of International Arbitration (2018-Present) 

    Sponsorship Officer, Litigation Committee, IBA (2018) 

    Vice Chair, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee, IPBA (2017-2020) 

    Regional Representative Asia General, Litigation Committee, IBA (2016-2017) 

    Member, Board of Advisors, FDI Moot (2016-Present) 

    Member, Committee for Legislation of Act on Promotion of Arbitration Industry (2015) 

    Member, Legal Advisory Board to the Ministry of Justice (2015-Present) 

    Arbitrator, SIAC (2014-Present) 

    Member, Working Group on Harmonizing Arbitration Laws, APAG, IBA (2014-2016) 

    Member, Committee for Revision of Arbitration Act, Ministry of Justice (2013-2014) 

    Board Member, Korean Council of International Arbitration (2012-Present) 

    Board Member, International Association of Korean Lawyers (2012-Present) 

    Advisor, Advisory Board on Investor State Dispute, Ministry of Justice (2011-Present) 

    Commissioner, Industry Accident Compensation Insurance Appeal Committee (2009) 

    Arbitrator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (2008-Present) 

    Yulchon LLC (2005-2019) 

    Member, The Central Administration Council (2004-2010) 

    Lee & Ko (2001-2005) 

    Judge, Suwon District Court (2000-2001) 

    Judge, Daejeon District Court (1998-2000) 

    Judge, Seoul District Court (1996-1998) 

    Judge, Seoul Southern District Court (1994-1996) 






Arbitration Cases
 
  •   Represented the Republic of Korea in a treaty arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules between Korea and Iranian investors 
  •   Represented a large-scale Korean construction company in an SIAC arbitration regarding the construction contract between the Korean company and a Vietnamese joint venture 
  •   Represented a large-scale Korean construction company in an ICC arbitration arising out of a construction project for military facilities between the Korean company and an American construction company
  •   Represented a large-scale Korean company in an ICC arbitration regarding a gas plant construction project between the Korean company and a Saudi Arabian construction company 
  •   Represented a Korean construction company in an ICC arbitration involving a construction agreement between the Korean company and a Korean subsidiary of a Singaporean logistics company
  •   Represented a major Korean trading company in an SIAC arbitration regarding a supply agreement between the Korean company and a Swiss coal supplier
  •   Represented a major Korean trading company in an SIAC arbitration regarding the supply agreement between the Korean trading company and a Vietnamese steel company
  •   Represented a Korean manufacturer in an ICC arbitration regarding the supply agreement between the Korean company and an Italian fashion company
  •   Represented a major Korean construction company in an arbitration before the Vietnam International Arbitration Center regarding a large-scale construction project in Hanoi between the Korean construction company and a Vietnamese state owned enterprise 
  •   Represented a major Korean broadcasting company in an UNCITRAL arbitration regarding a license agreement between the Korean company and a British solution provider 
  •   Represented a major Korean construction company in an ICDR arbitration regarding the national road construction agreement in a Central Asian country between the Korean company and an American construction company 
  •   Represented a major Korean construction company in a KCAB arbitration regarding the construction agreement between the Korean company and a Qatari construction company  
  •   Represented a Korean automotive parts manufacturer in a KCAB arbitration regarding the renewal of product supply agreements between the Korean company and a US agency 
  •   Represented a major Korean cosmetics manufacturer in a KCAB arbitration regarding a distribution agreement between the Korean company and a Chinese distributor 
  •   Represented a major Korean steel manufacturer in an ICC arbitration regarding a license agreement between the Korean company and a US manufacturer of special materials 
  •   Represented a major Korean mobile communications technology company in an ICC arbitration regarding the disputes over stock option of a joint venture established between the Korean company and a major Indonesian media company
  •   Represented a major Korean construction company in an ICC arbitration regarding the disputes over an expressway construction project between the Korean company and a government agency of a CIS country
  •   Represented the world’s largest global liquid cargo transportation company in an ICC arbitration regarding the disputes over management control of a joint venture established in Korea 
  •   Represented a Korean local government in an ICC arbitration regarding the termination of the concession agreement for a private investment project with a foreign joint venture





Awards

  •   Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers: Dispute Resolution (Thomson Reuters, 2022)
  •   Expert Guides: Commercial Arbitration (Expert Guides, 2021)
  •   Leading Practitioner, Expert Guides - Women in Business Law: Commercial Arbitration (Expert Guides, 2020-2021)
  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Mediation (Who’s Who Legal, 2020-2022)
  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2020-2022)
  •   Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: Top 100 Women in Litigation (Euromoney, 2020-2022)
  •   Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration (Euromoney, 2020-2022)
  •   Leading Individual, Chambers Global, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Chambers and Partners, 2020-2022)
  •   The A-List: Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers, Asia Business Law Journal (Vantage Asia, 2019, 2021)
  •   Leading Individual, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific: International Arbitration (Legalease, 2018-2022)
  •   Dispute Resolution Star, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration (Euromoney, 2018-2019)
  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2018, 2020)
  •   Woman Lawyer of the Year, ALB Korea Law Awards (ALB, 2018)
  •   Leading Commercial Arbitration Experts, Who’s Who Legal (Who’s Who Legal, 2016)
  •   Commended Counsel, Asian-MENA Counsel (2016)
  •   Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Chambers and Partners, 2014-2022)
  •   Leading Lawyer/Market Leading Lawyer, Asialaw Leading Lawyers: Dispute Resolution (Euromoney, 2009, 2016-2022)

Publications/Activities

  •   Korea’s Arbitration Act is Revised for a New World, The Lawyer (2016) 
  •   Commercial Litigation (2nd Edition): Korea Chapter, Sweet & Maxwell International Series (Thomson Reuters, 2015) 
  •   The International Comparative Legal Guide to: International Arbitration 2015 (12th Edition) - Korea Chapter (2015) 
  •   Commercial Litigation (2nd Edition): Korea Chapter, Sweet & Maxwell (Thomson Reuters, 2015) 
  •   Construction and projects in South Korea: Overview, Construction and Projects Multi-Jurisdictional Guide (Co-author, 2014) 
  •   Managing International Construction Claims in Preparation of International Arbitration - Research on International Trade Law, Korea International Trade Law Association (2013) 
  •   Guide to Dispute Resolution in Asia: Korean section (Herbert Smith Freehills, 2013) 
  •   Guide to Privilege in Asia Pacific: Korean section (Herbert Smith Freehills, 2012) 
  •   Dispute Resolution Review: Korean section (Law Business Research, 2011)





Education

    Duke Law School (LL.M., 2007)

    Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea (1994)

    Seoul National University College of Law (LL.B., 1991)


Qualifications

    Admitted to bar, Korea, 1994; New York, 2011


Languages
  •    Korean and English





International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation ,  Construction & Engineering Disputes ,  Corporate & M&A Litigation ,  Product Liability & Consumer Claims ,  Energy ,  Border Measures