Ho Joon Lee
Senior AdvisorIntroduction
Mr. Ho Joon Lee is a Senior Advisor at Shin & Kim, mainly practicing in the areas of international trade, industrial policy, and foreign economic affairs.
Mr. Lee graduated from the Department of Economics at Seoul National University and earned a M.D. in Public Policy from the Graduate School of Public Administration at Seoul National University, during which he passed the National Civil Service Examination for Finance and Economy and further began his career as a public servant as an Administrative Officer at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy. While serving as a Senior Administrative Officer, he earned a Ph.D. in Technology Policy from the Business School of University of Manchester, UK.
Throughout his public service, he worked at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Office of the President, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, handling a wide range of matters covering national industrial policy, trade, and investment policy. As Senior Administrative Officer and Industrial Policy Secretary in the Office of the Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs at the Office of the President, he managed the overall national industrial policy. At the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, he served as Director-General for Trade Cooperation, Director-General for Investment Policy, and Director-General for Planning and Coordination, handling responses to trade issues, establishing investment policies, and coordinating ministry policies. Additionally, while serving as Minister-Counselor (Commercial Attaché) at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China, he accumulated practical experience in foreign economic affairs and international trade, beyond China.
After concluding his public service, he served as the full-time Vice Chairman of the Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea, supporting the growth and innovation of mid-sized companies, regulatory improvements, and investment activation. Currently based in Shin & Kim, he provides advisory services spanning both corporate and public sectors. His expertise is highlighted in overseas investment and foreign investment, economic sanctions and export controls, trade remedies, energy and infrastructure, industrial technology protection, inter-Korean economic cooperation and China-related advisory, global business strategy, and environmental and safety strategy.
Areas of Expertise
Professional Career
- 2026-PresentShin & Kim LLC
- 2025-PresentPrivate Sector Member, Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Committee
- 2024-2025Ex Officio Director, University of Technology, Korea
- 2024-2025Management Advisory Committee Member, Export-Import Bank of Korea
- 2023-2025Ex Officio Director, Korea Productivity Center
- 2022-2025Full-time Vice Chairman, Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea
- 2021-2022Senior Secretary, Industrial Policy, Office of the Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs, Cheong Wa Dae
- 2020-2021Head, Planning and Coordination Office, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
- 2019-2020Director General, Trade Issues Response Team, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
- 2019-2020Director General, Policy Planning, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
- 2018-2019Director General, Investment Policy, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
- 2017-2018Director, Trade Cooperation, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
- 2014-2017Minister-Counselor, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China
- 2013-2024Senior Administrative Officer, Secretariat Office for Industry, Trade and Energy, Secretariat Office for Economic Affairs, Cheong Wa Dae
- 2006-2012Chief Secretary to the Minister, Director of Energy and Resource Policy Division, Director of Electric Power Industry Division, Director of Regional Industry Division, Head of Europe-Americas Cooperation Team at the Ministry of Industry and Energy/Ministry of Knowledge Economy
- 1993-2003Secretary/Administrative Officer at the Office of the Minister, Transportation Machinery Industry Division, Industrial Policy Division, Import Division, Petroleum Policy Division, Unfair Trade Practices Investigation Division at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy/Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
- 1991Passed the 34th Higher Civil Servant Examination
Education
- 2003-2010University of Manchester Business School, UK (Ph.D. in Technology Policy)
- 1990-1992Seoul National University, Graduate School of Public Administration (M.D. in policy science)
- 1986-1990Seoul National University (B.A. in Economics)
Qualifications
- 2023Licensed Administrative Agent, Korea
Languages
Korean, English, Chinese
Professional Activities
- A study on the factors affecting implementation of privatization and restructuring of the electricity industry policy in Korea (Doctoral dissertation)
- A Study on Korea’s Credit Regulation Policy (Master's thesis)
Awards
- 2019Red Stripes Order of Service Merit