M&A

Overview
Professionals

Introduction

Shin & Kim has a leading M&A practice, which has played an integral role in the creating and shaping of the M&A market in Korea. Our M&A team has advised many clients, both Korean and foreign, in transactions around the world. Having been at the forefront of every landmark M&A transaction, across a wide range of industries, Shin & Kim’s M&A team has a reputation for excellence.

Our M&A team has the expertise and experience to provide efficient and commercially tailored advice throughout every step of the M&A process. Whether it be a competitive bid transaction or a hostile M&A transaction, Shin & Kim’s M&A team is able to effectively and efficiently advise clients through all aspects of deals, whether for the buy side or the sell side. From pre-M&A preparations, due diligence, documentation, negotiation, closing and post-closing, the M&A team will advise clients at every stage. Our extensive experience in the life cycle of M&A transactions allows our M&A team to provide commercially relevant advice on transaction structure, bidding or selling strategies, merger filings, labor and personnel issues and strategies for post-merger integration (PMI) as well as M&A-related disputes.

Key Services

Shin & Kim provides services in the following areas in connection with M&A transactions:

M&A transaction structuring and establishment of bidding strategies
Legal due diligence investigations of target corporations while taking into account industry-specific factors
Definitive agreement (drafting, commenting and negotiating) for the consummation of the M&A transaction
Transaction specific and industry or sector specific government licenses, approvals or permits
Acquisition financing and labor and personnel management
Dispute resolution in connection with disputes arising from M&A transactions

Experiences

Hahn & Company, acquisition of SsangYong Cement Industrial (Korea's largest cement producer)
Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation, sale of shares in Woori Bank
Kakao Corporation, acquisition of LOEN Entertainment
Hynix Semiconductor, sale of control interest in a company to SK Telecom
GE Capital International Holdings, sale of Hyundai Card and Hyundai Capital Services
SK Networks, acquisition of Tongyang Magic
ORIX Corporation, sale of shares in Hyundai Logistics
IMM Investment and Mirae Asset Global Investments, sale of their shares in Doosan DST to Hanwha Techwin
Tongyang Cement & Energy Corp., sale of shares of a company to Sampyo Cement
Netmarble Games Corporation, strategic alliance and cross-shareholding transaction with NC Soft Corporation
PAN-Ocean, sale of shares to HarimGroup-JKL Consortium (the largest M&A transaction in 2014 involving a company under rehabilitation proceedings)
Korea Exchange Bank, share swap with Hana Financial Group
Dongbu Corporation, sale of Dongbu Express to DBEX Holdings
Citigroup Korea Inc., merger with Citibank Korea Inc.
CJ Games, sale of shares to Tencent (the largest foreign investment in the Korean content industry, which includes the broadcasting, motion pictures and games industries)
ORIX Corporation, sale of STX Energy to GS and LG International Corp.
SB LiMotive (a joint venture company between Samsung SDI and Robert Bosch GmbH), sales of Cobasys LLC (a Michigan company) and SB LiMotive Germany GmbH to Robert Bosch

Awards and Rankings

Ranked Band 1 Law Firm for M&A
Chambers Global / Chambers Asia 2013-2016, 2020-2023
Ranked Tier 1 Law Firm for M&A
IFLR 1000, 2006-2023
M&A Deal of the Year : Acquisition of LINA Life Insurance of Korea,Cigna Korea and LINA Financial Service
ALB Korea Law Awards 2022
Best M&A Legal Advisor of the Year
Money Today Korea IB Awards 2022
Ranked Tier 1 Law Firm for M&A
Asia Pacific Legal500 2013-2018, 2020-2021
M&A Deal of the Year : Acquisition of Momentive
ALB Korea Law Awards 2019
Best M&A Innovative M&A House and Best M&A Seller (Sale of CJ Healthcare)
Korea Capital Markets thebell League Table Awards 2019
Corporate/M&A Firm of the Year
Asialaw Asia-Pacific Legal Practice Awards 2017
Best Deal of the Year: Privatization of Woori Bank
Yeonhap Informax IB Awards 2017
Ranked Tier 1 Law Firm for M&A
Asia Legal Business(ALB) 2013-2021
Standout Law Firm in Innovation in Corporate and Commercial Law : The privatization of Woori Financial Holdings
FT(Financial Times) Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers Awards 2015
M&A Legal Advisor
Yeonhap Infomax IB Awards 2015
Equity Market Deal of the Year 2013 : Acquisition of Equity Shares of ArcelorMittal Mining, Canada
ALB Korea Law Awards 2013
Best Domestic M&A Deal: SK Telecom's $3.1 billion acquisition of 20% of Hynix
FinanceAsia 2012
Deals of the Year 2011 : Fila Korea’s acquisition of Acushnet Company, Samsung - Sale of HDD operation to Seagate
Asian-Counsel 2012
Deals of the Year 2011_Honorable Mention : Acquisition of Ssang Yong Motor Co., Ltd.
Asian-Counsel 2012
Deal of the Year 2010_Honorable Mention : Hanwha Chemical’s strategic Equity Investment in Solarfun
Asian-Counsel 2011
China Deal of the Year 2010 : Lotte Shopping Co. acquisition of Times chain
China Business Law Journal 2011
Deal of the Year 2009 : Acquisition of Hanaro Telecom, Acquisition of C&M
Asia Legal Business 2010