Donghyun Kim

Mr. Donghyun Kim is an Advisor at Shin & Kim, mainly practicing in the areas of defense and the defense industry, military law, investigations, human rights, digital forensics, and military personnel administration.

Mr. Kim was commissioned as a Non-Commissioned Officer in the Air Force in 2002 and has accumulated approximately 23 years of extensive practical experience in military law and investigations. He has been responsible for a wide range of key functions within the military legal system, including military criminal cases (court practice), disciplinary actions, personnel appeals, human rights counseling, victim support, and military personnel administration. Notably, during his service in the Prosecutors’ Office of the Ministry of National Defense, he participated in investigations of major national cases, including the Martial Law Joint Civil–Military Investigation Team, the Defense Network Hacking Task Force, and defense acquisition-related investigations.

Mr. Kim holds a Master’s degree and has completed doctoral coursework in Forensic Science. He also possesses national and international certifications in digital forensics, combining an academic foundation with field-centered expertise. In addition, he was involved in the planning and development of Korea’s first AI-based case management system and AI-based speech-to-text (STT) processing system for prosecutorial cases, applying these systems in practice to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of case handling in the military prosecution system.

Based on his extensive practical experience and expertise, Mr. Kim provides practical and professional advisory services across a wide range of areas.

1. Military Criminal Investigations and Military Justice

• Investigated serious military criminal cases, including attempted murder
• Investigated deaths and suspicious death cases involving military personnel, including investigations into causes of death
• Investigated military sexual offenses, including rape, indecent assault, and unlawful filming
• Investigated violations of the Military Criminal Act, including desertion, unauthorized absence, insubordination, and insulting superior officers
• Investigated cases involving assault, bodily injury, threats, and cruel treatment under the Military Criminal Act
• Investigated crimes involving military property, including theft, embezzlement, and damage to military supplies and equipment
• Investigated violations of the Military Secret Protection Act, including unauthorized disclosure and leakage of military secrets
• Investigated duty-related offenses committed by military personnel and civilian military employees, as well as military-related corruption cases
• Investigated corruption cases involving defense procurement and military information and communications projects
• Conducted search and seizure operations, digital forensic examinations, and electronic evidence analysis in military criminal cases

2. Major Military Investigations and Forensic Science

• Participated in the joint civilian-military probe team investigating the Defense Security Command's martial law documents
• Conducted a reinvestigation into the Cyber Command's online comment manipulation case
• Participated in a task force investigating the hacking of the military defense network
• Worked toward establishing a Drug Investigation Center within the Republic of Korea Air Force Prosecutors' Office
• Worked toward establishing an AI Forensic Investigation Center
• Participated in the planning and development of an AI-based prosecutorial case management system
• Participated in the planning and development of an AI-based speech-to-text (STT) system for processing recorded statements
• Supported on-site responses to search and seizure operations and digital forensic examinations involving companies

3. Military Trials, Victim Protection, and Military Administration

• Handled practical matters relating to criminal trials and court proceedings while serving as an officer responsible for trial administration at a military court
• Handled matters relating to the protection of victims of military crimes and the safeguarding of victims' rights
• Handled public petitions, military grievance complaints, and sexual misconduct-related grievances at the Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarters
• Handled disciplinary proceedings involving sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment and sexual assault, as well as assault and cruel treatment, while serving as an officer responsible for disciplinary proceedings before military disciplinary committees
• Handled investigations into human rights violations within the military and personnel appeals