On the 31st, Law Firm YK announced the appointment of Professor Kim Hwa-jin from Seoul National University School of Law as an advisor. Professor Kim is recognized as an expert in corporate governance and ESG in South Korea.

김화진 법무법인 YK 고문 [사진=법무법인 YK]

Professor Kim is noted as an early scholar in Korea's corporate law, with expertise in institutional design and consulting for corporate fields. He graduated from Seoul National University's Department of Mathematics, earned a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School, and a Doctorate in Law from the University of Munich, Germany. His involvement in academia is extensive, having taught at institutions like the University of Michigan, Stanford University, Tel Aviv University, and New York University. He has published in Oxford and Cambridge journals. He currently chairs the Board at Samsung Securities and serves as a Senior Outside Director at Hyundai Mobis. His notable publications include "Ownership and Management" (2005), "Mergers and Acquisitions" (2008), and "Corporate Governance and Corporate Finance" (2010), which have been recognized as significant academic contributions by the National Academy of Sciences of Korea.

Professor Kim has played a role in policy consultation and institutional design, holding positions as Chairman of the Governance Improvement Advisory Committee of the National Pension Service, Chairman of the Voting Rights Committee of the Korea ESG Standards Institute, and a public director of the Korea Financial Investment Association. His current focus includes board operations, ESG regulation responses, and shareholder protection measures at Samsung Securities and Hyundai Mobis. Previous roles include an outside director and Chairman of the ESG Committee at HD Hyundai and involvement in the Hyundai Memorial Project Committee, resulting in the publication of "Asan Chung Ju-yung Legacy" (2021), which received notable attention.

During a seminar on the 11th, co-hosted by YK and the Korea In-house Counsel Association, Professor Kim spoke on "The Future of Korean Corporate Governance and Amended Commercial Law." He noted that while ESG, shareholder protection, and commercial law amendments are progressing positively, the capacity to manage these changes is crucial.

Professor Kim is anticipated to offer targeted advice at YK concerning shareholder meeting disputes, litigation following commercial law amendments, shareholder protection during management transitions, board operations, and strategies for ESG institutionalization.

Law Firm YK has indicated that Professor Kim's involvement comes at a pivotal time as commercial law amendments and ESG regulations gain prominence. This partnership is viewed as key for navigating institutional challenges faced by corporate clients, and his academic and field expertise is expected to furnish practical guidance in corporate decision-making.