Lee & Ko Hires Former Division Chief Prosecutor Lee Juhyun, a "Fair Trade Expert"; Establishes Dedicated Center

A "Fair Trade Expert" with Experience at the KFTC and Prosecutors' Office
Criminal and Fair Trade Groups Establish Collaborative Framework

Lee & Ko said on November 11 that it had hired Lee Juhyun, a former chief prosecutor of Criminal Division 3 at the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office and an expert in fair trade, and established an Antitrust and Fair Trade Risk Response Center.

Lee Juhyeon, attorney at Lee & Ko. Courtesy of Lee & Ko.

Lee spent about 18 years at the prosecution service, working in key investigative divisions, including the Fair Trade Investigation Division and the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. In 2016, she worked in the office's Fair Trade and Tax Investigation Division. In 2018, she served as acting head of its Fair Trade Investigation Division and investigated major fair trade cases, including collusion.

In 2022, she was seconded to the Korea Fair Trade Commission as a legal adviser, where she gained experience in case reviews and law enforcement. She graduated from Korea University's Department of Law and earned a master's degree in fair trade law from the university's Graduate School of Legal Studies. She also lectured prosecutors at the Institute of Justice on practical aspects of investigating fair trade law violations.

Following Lee's appointment, Lee & Ko launched the Antitrust and Fair Trade Risk Response Center, bringing together its Criminal Practice Group and Fair Trade Group. The center will be jointly led by Lee and attorney Oh Gyuseong. Oh, a former senior judge, has served as a non-standing member of the Korea Fair Trade Commission and as director of its Deliberation Management Office.

The center will also include former Anyang Branch Chief Park Jangwoo of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, former deputy chief prosecutor Kim Youngcheol of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office, Fair Trade Group leaders Jeong Hwan and Seon Jeongho, and former Seoul High Court judge Jeong Sujin. Former Korea Fair Trade Commission Cartel Investigation Bureau Director Choi Mujin and former commission Cartel Affairs Division Chief Lee Sungkyu will also contribute their expertise.

The center will address companies' legal risks related to fair trade, including responses to Korea Fair Trade Commission investigations and prosecutorial investigations, handling internal whistleblower cases, and defense against anti-corruption and economic crime allegations. In particular, it plans to establish an integrated advisory system in which criminal and fair trade experts work together from the initial investigation through indictment and trial.

Lee & Ko Managing Attorney Kim Sanggon said, "Lee is a talented professional with both hands-on experience in corporate, fair trade, financial, and anti-corruption investigations and expertise in fair trade regulations. We will be able to further strengthen our capabilities in responding to corporate criminal and fair trade matters."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.