Il Yeon Kim, a partner at South Korean firm Bae, Kim & Lee, discusses his recognition as one of the 2024 ALB Asia Top 15 Litigators. He speaks about his recent high-profile case involving bribery and government manipulation, his expertise in various areas of litigation, and his personal principles for handling complex cases, emphasizing thorough preparation and client communication.
Congratulations on being named one of the ALB Asia Top 15 Litigators. Can you share a recent high-profile case you’ve worked on and what made it particularly challenging or significant?
It was on an indicted criminal trial filed against the executives of Group A for bribing former President Geun Hye Park in the form of providing financial support for horseback riding support for the daughter of Seo-won Choi, the shadowy confidante.” It was a so-called ‘government affairs manipulation case’.
More than 80 trials have been held in four years, leading to fierce battles between special prosecutors and lawyers, and the media called it the “Trial of the Century” and it attracted the public’s attention.
The trial had a significant impact on the politics and society of the Republic of Korea, and important legal issues were addressed. In the end, some of the prosecutions were convicted and some were acquitted throughout the Supreme Court. There were some regrets in the results, but it was an important case where I could learn and experience a lot as a litigator.
What areas of litigation do you specialize in, and how has your expertise evolved over the years to address changing legal landscapes in Asia?
I’ve experienced and worked on various litigation cases including criminal, civil, and administrative. Among criminal proceedings, in particular, I’m specialized in cases involving the Capital Markets Act, corporate embezzlement and breach of trust, bribery, trade secret infringement, election, and serious accident cases. Among civil and administrative litigation, my specialty includes commercial case, labor case, personal information infringement case, and real estate cases.
Asia, including the Republic of Korea, has rapidly changed and grown over the past few years in all fields of politics, economy, society, science and technology, and the legal environment in the field of transmission is changing day by day. I continue to study to respond to these changes, and I’m trying to maintain and develop my expertise through training in the professional field of the bar association and the latest newsletter from the law firm. In particular, I’m actively taking on new types of cases and trying to develop my expertise in the process of handling the cases.
What is your personal philosophy or approach when it comes to handling complex litigation cases, and how do you believe this has contributed to your success in the field?
I have two important principles I go by when conducting litigation: thorough preparation and sufficient communication with clients. First, I think the success or failure of a litigation case depends on how thoroughly the attorney has reviewed, analyzed and prepared the case. Lawyers must carefully examine records and evidence to understand and verify facts better than anyone else, and lawyers must thoroughly research related laws and precedents to be legally prepared. Second, communicating sufficiently with the client is not only the lawyer’s duty, but also necessary to success-fully handle litigation cases.
The client will know the case better than anyone else, having experienced the case firsthand. By having a lot of conversations and discussions with the client, lawyers can realize facts or issues that they have not thought of and can greatly assist in discovering important evidence. I believe these principles will be more valuable in complex and difficult litigation cases.
