Bae, Kim & Lee Expands and Reorganizes "Serious Accident Response Center"

Beyond Post-Incident Response:
Focusing on Prevention and System Establishment

On January 22, law firm Bae, Kim & Lee LLC (BKL) announced that it had expanded and reorganized its existing "Industrial Safety and Serious Accident Team" into the "Serious Accident Response Center" as of December last year, in order to establish a proactive and comprehensive one-stop response system for serious accident cases.

The BKL Serious Accident Response Center is a dedicated organization that provides a one-stop total service covering not only response to investigations, administrative sanctions, litigation, and support for bereaved families in the event of serious industrial or public accidents, but also preemptive prevention consulting. Experts with backgrounds in the prosecution, police, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Ministry of Environment, as well as forensic specialists, work together organically to establish a strategic and collaborative response system.

The expansion and reorganization of the Serious Accident Response Center is being overseen by Kim Hugon, a former Chief Prosecutor at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, who recently joined BKL as Managing Partner (25th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute). Center Director Kim Hugon is an expert with extensive investigative and trial experience in major criminal cases and public safety, having served as Director of the Public Trial and Litigation Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Chief Prosecutor at the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, and Director-General for Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of Justice.

In addition, BKL has strengthened its response capabilities by newly recruiting Attorney Heo Hoon (35th class, former Head of the Public Investigation Division at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office), who has practical experience in investigating and prosecuting major serious accident cases, and Attorney Cha Hodong (38th class, former Head of the Seosan Branch at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office), who possesses both institutional and practical expertise.

The BKL Serious Accident Response Center also includes Senior Advisor Ahn Kyungdeok, who served as the 8th Minister of Employment and Labor after holding positions such as Director-General for Planning and Coordination and Director-General for Labor Policy at the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Attorneys Seol Donggeun (30th class), Lee Sanghyun (33rd class, former Head of the Public Investigation Division 2 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office), and Song Hyunseok (34th class), who were part of the previous Serious Accident Team, are also participating.

Center Director Kim Hugon stated, "Serious accident cases are an area where criminal liability, administrative sanctions, and corporate management risks are intricately intertwined, so a comprehensive and strategic approach from the outset is essential, rather than a fragmented response. Building on our previous achievements, BKL's Serious Accident Response Center will establish itself as an organization that provides practical solutions to the serious accident risks faced by companies, through the organic collaboration of experts in each field."

BKL plans to further solidify its status as a control tower for serious accidents, taking responsibility not only for post-incident responses but also for prevention and system management, through this expansion and reorganization of the Serious Accident Response Center.