Young Chul Yim
Senior CounselIntroduction
Mr. Young Chul Yim is a senior counsel at Shin & Kim's antitrust group.
Mr. Yim brought to the firm his 13-year-long experience as a judge and multiple years of stellar career at the Korea Fair Trade Commission (the "KFTC") as the KFTC's General Counsel, and the Director General of the Commission's Competition Policy Bureau and Subcontract Bureau. For his exemplary services at the KFTC, Mr. Yim received the "role model officer" award by overwhelming votes among his colleagues within the KFTC. This award earned him a reputation from the media that started referencing Mr. Yim as "Mr. KFTC" or "Mr. Competition Law". Among his notable achievements at the KFTC, Mr. Yim revised the hearing procedural rules within the KFTC that enhanced the due process rights for defendants. While at the KFTC, Mr. Yim also prepared the antitrust practitioners' guide for the KFTC officers covering both substantive and procedural issues that often arise in the law enforcement. The KFTC officers still use that practitioners' guide in their enforcement. During his career as an antitrust defense counsel after he had departed from the Commission, Mr. Yim was again chosen as the "Best Antitrust Lawyer" by a leading Korean newspaper publisher that surveyed the managing partners of top 20 law firms in Korea.
During the past several years, Mr. Yim has led Shin & Kim's antitrust group in handling several landmark cases, such as Qualcomm in abuse of dominance case and SKT in unfair business practices case. Mr. Yim has also been prolific in publishing legal papers and treatises, including, among many others, "Korean Competition Law – Issues and Commentaries" (2007, Bobmunsa). Mr. Yim is widely regarded as the most influential figure in the Korean antitrust community.
Areas of Expertise
Professional Career
- 2007-PresentShin & Kim LLC
- 2008Non-standing Director, Korean Consumer Agency
- 2008Member, Administrative Appeal Commission under the Prime Minister
- 2007Visiting Professor, College of Law, Chung Ang University
- 2002-2006Barun Law Offices
- 2001Director General, Subcontract Bureau, Fair Trade Commission
- 2000Visiting Fellow, Pillsbury, Madion & Sutro LLP, Washington D.C.
- 2000Director General, Competition Policy Bureau, Fair Trade Commission
- 1997General Counsel, Fair Trade Commission
- 1996Legal Affairs Officer, Fair Trade Commission
- 1994Judge, Seoul High Court
- 1992Judge, Eastern Branch, Seoul District Court
- 1990Judge, Seoul Family Court
- 1988Judge, Youngwol Branch, Chunchon District Court
- 1987Legal Affairs Officer, Ministry of Legislation
- 1985Judge, Seoul Civil District Court
- 1983Judge, Northern Branch, Seoul District Court
- 1983Judicial Research & Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea
Education
- 1988Seoul National University Graduate School of Law (LL.M.)
- 1980Seoul National University College of Law (LL.B.)
Qualifications
- 1983Admitted to bar, Korea
Languages
Korean, English
Professional Activities
- “Fair Trade Act - Theory and Practices” (Co-authored, Parkyoungsa, 2018)
- Korea Chapter of “Korean antitrust regime: Key trends and developments”, Competition & Antitrust Review 2013 (Co-authored)
- “Korean Competition Law - Issues and Commentaries” (Bobmunsa, 2007)
- “Procedures of Handling of Cases by the Korea Fair Trade Commission, and Procedures of Raising Objection” (Lawyer Education Center of the Korean Bar Association, 2006)
- “Current Status and Improvement of Mandatory Broadcasting Policy” (Seminar of the Korea CATV Association, 2004)
- “From the Nation of the President to the Nation of the Citizen” (2002, Changhae Publishing Co.)
- “Procedures of Handling of Cases by the Korea Fair Trade Commission - Free Competition and Fair Trade” (Bobmunsa, 2002)
- “Current Status and Outlook of Improvement of Legal System relating to the Fair Trade” (‘Legislation Research’, Korea Legislation Research Institute, 1999)
- “Enactment and Amendment of Laws under the Jurisdiction of the Korea Fair Trade Commission” (‘Human Rights and Justice’, Korean Bar Association, 1999)
- “Legal Study on Floating Policy” (LL.M Thesis, Graduate School of Law of Seoul National University, 1988)
- “Procedures of Taking Actions Against Violation of Laws by the Korea Fair Trade Commission” (Manual for the Course of Study on the Fair Trade Laws, Law Institute of Seoul National University, 1997)
- “Exclusive Indictment Right under the Fair Trade Laws” (Samsung Economic Research Institute, 1997)
- “Legal Status of Out-of-Wedlock Child” (‘Human Rights and Justice’, Korean Bar Association, 1991)
- “Under-development of Legal Culture in Traditional Society” (Thesis for Graduation of the Judicial Research & Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea, 1983)
Awards
- 2007‘Best Specialized Lawyer’ designated by the Representatives of Top 20 Law Firms
Professional Accolades
- "Leading Individual" for Competition/Antitrust, Chambers Asia, 2011-2021 (Band 1), 2022-2025 (Senior Statespeople)
- "Leading Individual" for Antitrust and Competition, Legal500, 2016-2025 / "Recommended Lawyer" for Antitrust and Competition, Legal500, 2014-2015
- "Leading Lawyer" for Competition, IFLR1000, 2011-2024
- "Leading Lawyer" for Competition & Antitrust, Asialaw Profiles, 2012-2024
- "Leading Lawyer" for Antitrust and Competition, Legal Times, 2017, 2019-2021
- "Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers", Asia Business Law Journal, 2019
- "Best Lawyer" for Antitrust and Competition, Lawtimes, 2014
Media
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2024.03.28
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2022.11.23
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2022.01.03