Expertise

M&A

overview

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 
Experience
  • 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
Award's signature
  • Ranked Band 1 Law Firm for M&A
    Chambers Global / Chambers Asia 2013-2016, 2020-2024
  • Ranked Tier 1 Law Firm for M&A
    IFLR 1000, 2006-2023
  • Impact Deal and Case of the Year : Chubb's acquisition of Cigna's APAC businesses
    Asialaw Awards 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, 2020-2023
  • 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) 2013-2023
  • 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