Yong Guk Lee’s practice focuses on international securities, M&A and corporate matters, including cross-border securities offerings and acquisitions involving Korean entities.

Yong joined the firm in 1992, became a partner in 1999, and became a senior counsel in 2020. From 1995 to 1997 and again from 2004 to 2012, he was resident in the Hong Kong office. From 1989 to 1992, he was on a leave of absence and worked at the law firm of Kim & Chang in Seoul, Korea and at the International Law Section of the Korean Ministry of National Defense Legal Affairs Office.

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Notable Experience

Capital Markets

  • The IPOs of ING Life Insurance Korea, Samsung SDS, Cowell e Holdings, Doosan Bobcat, Mirae Asset Life Insurance, Hyundai Rotem, CJ HelloVision, Mando Corporation, SK C&C and Tong Yang Life Insurance

  • Kakao Corp. in its $1 billion offering of global depositary shares

  • Kyobo Life Insurance in a $500 million subordinated capital securities offering, its inaugural cross-border securities offering and the first international offering of hybrid securities recognized as regulatory capital by a Korean life insurance company

  • LG CHEM in its $1.6 billion triple-tranche green notes offering, the largest international debt securities offering and the first triple-tranche offering by a Korean private-sector issuer.

  • Heungkuk Life Insurance in a $500 million subordinated capital securities offering, its inaugural cross-border securities offering and the second international offering of hybrid securities recognized as regulatory capital by a Korean life insurance company

  • Kakao Corp. and Kookmin Bank in Kakao’s Won 230 billion exchangeable bond offering, guaranteed by Kookmin Bank

  • Multiple debt securities offerings of Woori Bank, including a $500 million subordinated notes offering, the first international offering of Basel III-compliant additional Tier I capital securities by a Korean bank

  • Doosan Infracore, Doosan Heavy Industries and Doosan Power Systems in their securities offerings

  • Multiple debt securities offerings of Kookmin Bank

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Other Notable Experience

  • Hyundai Merchant Marine in its debt restructuring

  • Kookmin Bank in its initial and follow-on investments in JSC Bank CenterCredit, one of the largest banks in Kazakhstan, and in connection with the U.S. law aspects of its conversion into a financial holding company structure under the newly established KB Financial Group Inc.

  • Woori Bank in connection with the U.S. law aspects of its conversion into a financial holding company structure.

  • Woori Finance Holdings in connection with the U.S. law aspects of the spin-off of its regional banks and its merger with Woori Bank

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Events