Pacific Ocean, Former U.S. Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim Recruited

Law firm Bae, Kim & Lee LLC (Representative Attorney Seo Dong-woo) announced on the 17th that it has recruited Sung Kim (photo), former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea.

Former Ambassador Kim is scheduled to serve as the head of Bae, Kim & Lee's soon-to-be-launched 'Global Future Strategy Center' starting from mid-January.

This is the first time a domestic law firm has recruited a former American career diplomat who served as ambassador in three Asian countries as a head of an internal organization.

Bae, Kim & Lee stated that it plans to establish the Global Future Strategy Center soon to assist domestic companies in resolving various regulatory issues in overseas markets. The center will also advise foreign companies operating in Korea. The existing 'Bae, Kim & Lee International Regulation and Dispute Response Institute' (Director Attorney Han Chang-wan) will be placed under the center.

A representative of Bae, Kim & Lee said the establishment of the center and the recruitment of former Ambassador Kim are "to realize the vision of a 'Korean-style global law firm'." They added, "With former Ambassador Kim's joining, we will be able to more effectively support the overseas business of domestic companies that need to pioneer markets and seek investment opportunities amid the increasingly uncertain external environment and global complex crises."

Former Ambassador Kim graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (BA), Loyola Law School (JD), and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LLM). He began his public service career as a prosecutor at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and was appointed as a U.S. diplomat in 1988. He later served as Korea Desk Officer at the U.S. Department of State, chief negotiator for the Six-Party Talks, and special envoy for North Korea. In 2011, he became the first Korean-American to serve as U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. He also held positions such as Special Representative for North Korea Policy at the U.S. Department of State, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Korea and Japan in the East Asia and Pacific Bureau, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Special Representative for North Korea Policy, and Acting Assistant Secretary for East Asia and the Pacific. Former Ambassador Kim is expected to join Bae, Kim & Lee as soon as he completes his retirement procedures at the U.S. Department of State.

Reporter Lim Hyun-kyung, Legal Times

※This article is based on content supplied by Law Times.