Chul-Ho JI
Senior AdvisorIntroduction
Mr. Chul-Ho Ji is an Senior Advisor at Shin & Kim, mainly practicing in the areas of Antitrust.
Mr. Ji is an expert with outstanding theoretical and practical experience, having spent most of his over 30-year public service career in the field of fair trade. After passing the 29th Senior Civil Service Examination in 1985, he began his career as an administrative officer at the fair-trade office of the Economic Planning Board in 1987. He subsequently held key positions at the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), including Deputy Director, Director General, Standing Commissioner, retiring from public service in 2020 after serving as Vice Chairman (Vice Minister-level). He has also served as the Standing Auditor at the Korea Federation of SMEs, Special Appointment Professor at Korea University’s Future Growth Research Institute, and Won LLC. Since 2025, he has been serving as an advisor at Shin & Kim.
Mr. Ji has accumulated diverse and extensive experience, including long-term service at the FTC, two terms at the Presidential Secretariat, and completed expert trainings or executive programs at seven institutions and universities. As a top-tier expert in both theory and practice in the fields of fair trade and regulatory reform, he authored three books, dozens of research papers and academic presentations, and numerous media contributions, through which he forecasts the direction of law enforcement and policy, and proposes institutional improvement measures.
Based on his expertise in history, theory, and practice in the field of fair trade, he was in charge of various law enforcements, policy-making, and institutional improvement tasks. He published two professional books, authored dozens of papers and academic presentations, and contributed numerous articles to media outlets. In the field of regulatory reform and competition, he conducted market analyses across key industries including the IT and the liquor industry. He published books on the liquor industry and presented various papers related to regulatory reform. He researched unfair practices in the sports/entertainment sector for his doctoral dissertation and numerous research papers.
Areas of Expertise
Professional Career
- 2025-PresentShin & Kim LLC
- 2023-PresentPolicy Advisory Committee Member, Korea Federation of SMEs
- 2023-2025Won LLC
- 2021-PresentMember, Reader Committee of JoongAng Ilbo
- 2021-2022Special Appointment Professor, Future Growth Research Institute of Korea University
- 2018-2020Vice Chairman (Vice Minister-level), FTC
- 2017-2018Standing Auditor, Korea Federation of SMEs
- 2015-2016Visiting Professor, Future Growth Research Institute of Korea University
- 2012-2015Standing Commissioner, FTC
- 2007-2012Director General, FTC (Public Relations Officer, Spokesperson, Director of Cartel Investigation Bureau, Director of Competition Policy Bureau, Director of Corporate Cooperation Bureau)
- 1999-2007Deputy Director, FTC (Busan Office Director, Director of System Improvement Division, Administrative Officer at the Office of the President; Corporate Merger Team Leader; Monopoly Surveillance Team Leader)
- 1986-1999Ministry of Government Administration (Probationary), Economic Planning Board, Finance and Economy Board, Fair Trade Committee, Dispatched to the Office of the President, Dispatched to the Office for Government Policy Coordination
Professional Affiliations
- 2015Completed the 3rd Future Growth Leadership Program (FELP) at Korea University
- 2012Completed the 3rd S+ Convergence AMP Program at KAIST
- 2011Completed the 5th CEO Program of the Korea Federation of SMEs (KBIZ AMP)
- 2011Completed the CBS Christian Leaders Academy Program (CLA)
- 2009Completed the 1st Fair Trade Law Training Program at Sookmyung Women’s University
- 2009Completed the 27th Advanced Legal Research Course at Seoul National University
- 2005Completed the 11th National Policy Task Training Program at Sejong Institute
Education
- 2013-2015Dongguk University, Graduate School of Law (Ph.D. in Sports and Entertainment Law)
- 1991-1993Saitama University, Graduate School of Policy Science (M.A. in Public Policy)
- 1984-1986Seoul National University, Graduate School of Public Administration (M.A. in Public Policy)
- 1980-1984Korea University College of Law, Department of Public Administration (B.A.)
Languages
Korean, English, Japanese
Professional Activities
Publications
- The Era of Hardships of the Exclusive Complaint System (September 2021, Holiday Books)
- The History of Monopoly Regulation (October 2020, Holiday Books)
- Korea’s Liquor Industry: Half a Century of Overcharging (July 2004, Baeksan Publishing)
Papers
- Study on Sports Dispute Resolution by ADR (July 2015, Doctoral Dissertation, Dongguk University)
- Regulatory Reform and the Role of the FTC (October 2023, Journal of Competition)
- Collective Remedies for Mass Small-Value Damages from Unfair Trade Practices (December 5, 2015, Fall Academic Conference of the Korean Association of Comparative Private Law)
- Study on Unfair Practices in the Entertainment Industry and Improvement Measures (November 6, 2015, Fall Academic Conference of the Korea Association of Fair Economy)
- Study on Types of Sports Insurance and Ways to Promote Subscription (February 2015, Sports and Law)
- Arbitration Procedures, Case Handling, and Implications of Japan’s Sports Arbitration Agency (August 2013, Sports and Law)
- Background and Significance of Large-Scale Retail Business Act (March 2012, Journal of Competition)
- Issues and Prospects of the Revised Subcontract Act (July 14, 2011, Joint Seminar of Seoul National University Competition Law Center and Korea Federation of SMEs)
- Achievements and Evaluation of 30 Years of the Fair Trade System (May 2011, Journal of Competition)
- The FTC: Guardian and Defender of the Market Economy, 30 Year Footprints of the Fair Trade Act (April 2011, Narakyungje)
- Cartel Authorization System (November 2009, Vol. 20, Journal of Korean Competition Law (JKCL), Bobmunsa)
- Cable TV, Bruised by Regional Monopolies, to Be Reformed by Introducing Competition Principles (November 2006, Narakyungje)
- Details and Key Issues of Remedial Measures for Large Discount Store Mergers (October 11, 2006, Journal of Competition)
- Comparison of Regulatory Reform Initiatives in Korea and Japan (November 2005, Journal of Competition)
- Details of Regulatory Reform in the Liquor Industry and Future Tasks (October 2004, Journal of Competition)
- Implementation of the ‘Clean Market Project’ (July 2001, Narakyungje)
- Case of Horizontal and Vertical Cartels in the School Uniform Market (May 30, 2001, Fair Competition)
- Twenty Years of Deregulation by the FTC (March 27, 2001, Fair Competition)
- Key Changes, Characteristics and Challenges After 10 Years of Regional Fair Trade Offices (July 24, 2000, Fair Competition)
- Spread of Informatization and Implications to Competition Policies (February 28, 2000, Fair Competition)
- E-Commerce and the Fair Trade System (May 31, 1999, Fair Competition)
- Essence and Implications of the Microsoft Case in the United States (April 30, 1999, Fair Competition)
Awards
- 2014Order of Service Merit, Red Stripes (Meritorious Service)
- 1999Order of Service Merit (Meritorious Service in Regulatory Reform)
- 1991Commendation of the Economic Planning Board (Meritorious Service in Fair Trade)