SOUTH KOREA Law and Practice Contributed by: Hwansung Park, Eunwoo (Vera) Lee, Hankil D. Kang and Jung Heo, Lee & Ko
Lee & Ko is one of Korea’s premier full-service law firms. Its Intellectual Property Practice Group com- prises a team of approximately 140 dedicated IP trial lawyers and patent attorneys, many of whom hold technical degrees across a broad range of industries, including electronics, biotechnology, pharmaceuti- cals, software and semiconductors. Headquartered in Seoul, the firm also operates offices in Beijing, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, supported by a global network
of leading law firms. The Group provides comprehen- sive expertise in patent and trade mark prosecution, IP litigation, technology transactions and trade secret matters, combining technical insight from attorneys with patent agent experience, strategic depth from practitioners with over 20 years of experience, and judicial perspective from former IP judges, with sup- port from related practices where appropriate.
Authors
Hwansung Park stands out as one of Korea’s premier legal analysts. Early in his career in Lee & Ko’s Corporate Practice Group, he guided major M&A transactions for prominent corpora- tions. Shifting to IP/IT, he has repre-
Hankil D. Kang specialises in IP-relat- ed international disputes and transac- tions in Lee & Ko’s Intellectual Prop- erty & Technology Practice Group. Previously at a top Korean firm, he guided multinational clients through
sented leading firms in patents, trade marks, trade secrets, unfair competition, copyrights, and domains – pioneering Korea’s first “functional drawing copy- right” case. Leveraging M&A expertise, he delivers strategic counsel on IP portfolios, NPE strategies and countermeasures, transactions, financing, and rights abuse, attuned to corporate goals. His strengths shine in IP surveillance, border enforcement via Korea Trade Commission and Customs, US litigation, including ITC, and gaming industry regulations, publishing, development, and disputes.
US litigations, including multiple 337 ITC investiga- tions and district court cases on patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and IP issues – managing local counsel, strategies, and discovery. He negotiated and drafted IP licensing, joint R&D, dispute settle- ment, and celebrity service contracts. Earlier, at major US law firms and a global electronics com- pany, he handled IP litigation and licensing, bringing deep cross-border expertise to complex matters.
Jung Heo is an attorney in the IP Practice Group. Before practising as an attorney-at-law, Mr Heo practised as a patent attorney in the field of electrical and electronics for six years. After joining Lee & Ko, he has repre-
Eunwoo (Vera) Lee has specialised in IP law at Lee & Ko since 2004, covering patents, trade marks, domains, copyrights, unfair competi- tion, licensing, transactions (M&A), and work-for-hire inventions. She has
sented and counselled numerous clients in both civil and criminal cases involving a wide spectrum of intellectual property, including patents, trade marks, copyrights, computer software, unfair competition, trade secrets, employee invention, and licensing. Drawing on his technical expertise and extensive experience in IP law, Mr Heo has also handled IT, fintech and transportation card cases.
built an outstanding trial record through her involve- ment in a number of landmark cases. Notably, she secured pioneering Supreme Court rulings on copyright infringement in imitation mobile games and in the first “functional copyright” case, both of which have prompted significant academic discus- sion. She has also successfully handled complex trade mark litigations, licensing of museum artworks and iconic marks, work-for-hire disputes, and IP-centric M&A across gaming, film, fashion, food, energy, medical devices, chemicals, and insurance.
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