[Law Firm Now] YK Recruits Seoul National University Professor Hwajin Kim, a First-Generation Corporate Governance Scholar, as Advisor

An Expert with Both Theoretical and Extensive Practical Experience
Also Serving as Chair of the Board at Samsung Securities
Strengthening Advisory Services for Commercial Act Amendments and ESG Regulatory Changes

Hwajin Kim, a professor at Seoul National University Law School and recognized as a first-generation researcher in corporate governance, has joined Law Firm YK as an advisor.

On September 1, Law Firm YK announced that it had recruited Professor Kim as an advisor, highlighting her over 30 years of combined research and practical experience in the fields of corporate governance and ESG.

Hwajin Kim, Professor at Seoul National University Law School. Law Firm YK

Professor Kim is regarded as a 'first-generation scholar' in corporate law research in Korea and is recognized for her dual expertise in institutional design and hands-on corporate consulting.

After earning her bachelor's degree from Seoul National University, Professor Kim obtained a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School and a Doctor of Law from the University of Munich in Germany. She has since taught corporate governance courses at institutions such as the University of Michigan, Stanford University, Tel Aviv University, and New York University, and has actively contributed to the international academic community by publishing papers in journals at Oxford and Cambridge.

In particular, her books, including "Ownership and Management" (2005), "Mergers and Acquisitions" (2008), and "Corporate Governance and Corporate Finance" (2010), are considered core textbooks in governance studies and have been selected as excellent academic books by the National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Korea.

Professor Kim has also been highly active in the practical field.

She has participated in institutional design and policy advisory roles, serving as Chair of the National Pension Service’s Governance Improvement Advisory Committee, Chair of the Korea ESG Standards Board’s Voting Rights Committee, and a public-interest director at the Korea Financial Investment Association. She is currently the Chair of the Board at Samsung Securities and a lead outside director at Hyundai Mobis, where she addresses specific issues such as board operations, internal controls, ESG regulatory compliance, and the establishment of shareholder protection mechanisms.

Additionally, she has served as an outside director and Chair of the ESG Committee at HD Hyundai, and as a member of the Hyundai Memorial Project Committee for the 20th anniversary of Chung Ju-yung’s passing. She also published "Asan Chung Ju-yung Legacy" (2021) at Seoul National University.

On August 11, Professor Kim attended a seminar on amendments to the Commercial Act, co-hosted by Law Firm YK and the Korea In-House Counsel Association, where she stated, "While ESG, shareholder protection, and amendments to the Commercial Act are steps in the right direction, we must consider whether we have the capacity to handle them." She also pointed out issues with boards of directors that lack independence or remain passive.

Going forward at Law Firm YK, Professor Kim will provide specific advisory services on matters such as responding to shareholder meeting disputes and damages lawsuits following amendments to the Commercial Act, reviewing protection for general shareholders during management rights sales, improving board operations and internal controls, and developing corporate strategies during the institutionalization of ESG. Leveraging her combined academic and practical expertise, she plans to support companies in making pragmatic responses during periods of institutional change.

A representative from Law Firm YK stated, "Professor Kim’s joining at a time when amendments to the Commercial Act and ESG regulations are becoming more prominent is highly significant for helping our corporate clients prepare for upcoming institutional challenges. We expect her to provide practical advice in corporate decision-making based on her experience spanning both academia and the field."