Jinkyu Lee is a partner at Shin & Kim. Jinkyu has extensive experience counseling public and private companies on issues related to labor and employment laws, including labor union matters, workplace restructuring, reductions in force, harassment and discrimination issues, and internal investigations.

Jinkyu began his legal career as a Judge Advocate Officer in the Air Force after passing the 4th Bar Examination. He served as a military judge at the Air Force General Military Court, presiding over criminal trials related to civilian and military law. Subsequently, he was appointed to the Defense Security Command (DSC) where he handled military disciplinary and litigation matters, including providing legal advice on military secrets investigations and security regulations. He was later seconded to the Ministry of National Defense, where he worked on special tasks related to the Presidential Truth Commission on Deaths in the Military and amendments to military laws concerning the handling of military casualties.

Following his military service, Jinkyu joined Shin & Kim, specializing in labor & employment law. He counsels employers in connection with all aspects of labor and employment issues, including collective bargaining, unfair labor practice, illegal worker dispatch, and response to Labor Inspection by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. In addition, he practices transactional labor and employment law by assisting clients on complex corporate transactions, including negotiating and drafting labor and employment provisions of purchase agreements, conducting acquisition-related due diligence, and assessing a target’s labor and employment law compliance and risks.

Jinkyu also routinely advises clients on day-to-day HR and personnel issues including wage and hour issues, structuring and drafting of employment, non-competition, non-solicitation, retention, and employment separation agreements. His robust experience in litigating informs his approach to counseling and transactional matters.

Internal Investigations

• Advised Company L on its investigation of workplace harassment and internal compliance violations
• Advised Foreign Company K on its investigation of workplace harassment and its human resources committee
• Advised Foreign Company K on its investigation of internal compliance violations and resignation negotiations
• Advised Foreign Company C on its investigation of internal compliance violations and in resignation negotiation with its executives
• Advised Foreign Company Q on its investigation of internal compliance violations and response to investigation
• Advised Public Organization K on its investigation of workplace harassment and sexual harassment and its human resources committee
• Advised Public Organization H on its investigation and reporting of internal compliance violations
• Advised Insurance Company S on its investigation of workplace harassment and its human resources committee
• Advised Shipbuilding Company S on its investigation of workplace harassment and participated in a meeting of its human resources committee
• Advised Bio Company S on its investigation of workplace harassment and its human resources committee
• Advised Management Company S on its investigation of workplace harassment and response to investigation
• Advised Power Generation Company U on its investigation and discipline of workplace harassment and sexual harassment and response to the subject of the investigation
• Advised Foreign Company U on its investigation of workplace harassment and sexual harassment and resignation negotiations
• Advised Foreign Company A on its investigation of workplace harassment and internal compliance violations

Advice and Consulting on Corporate Restructuring

• Advised and provided consulting to Foreign Company O on workforce restructuring in connection with the downsizing of its business in Korea
• Advised and provided consulting to Foreign Company C on reorganizing the organizational structure and governance of its business in Korea
• Advised Foreign Company H on workforce restructuring
• Advised and provided consulting to Company J on workforce restructuring for its business in Korea
• Advised Company T on corporate governance changes and employment succession
• Advised Manufacturer H on workforce restructuring in connection with the discontinuation of its pharmaceuticals business unit
• Advised Company D on workforce restructuring in connection with the transfer of its business
• Advised and provided consulting to Company D on workforce restructuring in connection with the relocation of its business unit overseas

Advice and Consulting on Labor Union and Labor Relations

• Advised Foreign Company Y on collective bargaining and participated as negotiator in collective bargaining
• Advised Foreign Company D on collective bargaining and participated as negotiator in collective bargaining
• Advised Bank K on labor relations, including responding to labor union disputes
• Advised Securities Company K on labor relations, including collective agreements and labor-management agreements
• Advised Broadcasting Company S on labor relations, including collective bargaining, labor-management agreements, and labor disputes
• Advised Automotive Company S on labor relations, including collective bargaining, labor-management agreements, and multiple unions
• Advised Company E and Insurance Company H on collective bargaining and labor-management agreements
• Advised Company L on labor union negotiations in connection with the sale of its business unit
• Advised Manufacturing Company D on labor-management agreement regarding ordinary wages
• Advised Foreign Company D on labor dispute mediation and response to labor disputes
• Advised Company S on response to labor union and labor disputes
• Advised Company W and Company S on response to unfair labor practice investigations
• Advised Company H on labor union disputes and alternative work arrangements
• Advised Company L on response to labor union and collective bargaining

Advice and Consulting on Internal Subcontracting and Dispatching

• Advised Manufacturing Company D and provided consulting on examination and improvement of internal subcontracting
• Advised Semiconductor Company S and provided consulting on examination and improvement of internal subcontracting
• Advised Manufacturing Company S and provided consulting on intrapreneuring the production unit
• Advised Company A and provided consulting on the transformation of a business unit into a subsidiary
• Advised Semiconductor Company S on violation of the Act on the Protection of Temporary Agency Workers
• Advised Display Manufacturer A on assigning human resources
• Advised Power Generation Company D on special security services
• Advised Bank W on the performance of dispatched workers
• Advised Company H on plant relocation
• Advised Manufacturing Company M on improving contractor unit prices
• Advised Company H on direct employment
• Advised Construction Company D on supply of human resources