[Law Firm Now] Sejong Successfully Concludes 'Stakeholder Communication Strategies for Shareholders’ Meeting Season' Seminar

Seminar to Commemorate the Launch of the Corporate Governance Research Institute

Analysis of Key Issues in the Stewardship Code

Guidance on Strategies for Engaging with Investors and Proxy Advisory Firms

The seminar held by Sejong Law Firm (Managing Partner Oh Jonghan) to commemorate the launch of the Corporate Governance Institute concluded successfully.

On March 3, Sejong Law Firm announced that it had successfully hosted the "Stakeholder Communication Strategies for Shareholder Meeting Season" seminar both online and offline on February 27 in the seminar room on the 23rd floor of D Tower Sejong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

From the left, Dr. Hyunyoung Hwang, Sungcheol Lim, CEO of Beside Korea, Hyoseop Ahn, Director of Sejong Corporate Governance Institute. Sejong Law Firm

This seminar was organized to mark the launch of the Corporate Governance Institute under the Sejong Corporate Governance Strategy Center.

With the stewardship activities of institutional investors becoming increasingly sophisticated in recent times, there is a growing need for companies to establish integrated response systems that not only facilitate communication with investors, but also include engagement with proxy advisory firms.

The Sejong Corporate Governance Institute held this seminar to address the key issues highlighted during the 2026 regular shareholder meeting season and to discuss communication strategies with investors and proxy advisory firms from a corporate perspective.

The seminar was moderated by attorney Lee Sookmi, who serves as the Deputy Director of the Sejong Corporate Governance Strategy Center.

Lee Donggeon, Director of the Sejong Corporate Governance Strategy Center, remarked in his opening address, "Our center prepared this seminar to commemorate the establishment of the Corporate Governance Institute under the center," adding, "Amid the ongoing trend of strengthening stewardship, market demands for improving corporate governance and enhancing shareholder value are becoming even more pronounced."

Director Lee stated, "Dialogue with institutional investors can determine whether proposals are approved at shareholder meetings, and the positions of proxy advisory firms serve as reference points for the decisions of institutional investors. Therefore, listed companies need to establish an integrated response system in advance. In today's seminar, we have prepared three sessions to provide practical solutions: discussions and key issues regarding the stewardship code, investor communication strategies, and proxy advisory firm communication strategies."

On the 27th of last month, Lee Donggeon, Center Director of the Sejong Corporate Governance Strategy Center, gave a greeting at the "Shareholders' Meeting Season Stakeholder Communication Strategy" seminar held in the seminar room on the 23rd floor of D Tower Sejong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Screenshot from Sejong online seminar screen

The first session featured Dr. Hyunyoung Hwang (Research Fellow at Korea Capital Market Institute), who serves as a member of the Stewardship Code Development Committee, presenting on "Stewardship Code Discussions and Key Issues" to promote the effective implementation and settlement of the stewardship code.

Dr. Hwang advised, "It is necessary to recognize institutional investors implementing the stewardship code as partner shareholders who help enhance the long-term corporate value of companies," emphasizing that "active participation and responses by companies, including thorough disclosure and dialogue, are essential."

In the second session, Seongcheol Lim, CEO of Beside Korea, a company specializing in corporate governance communication, provided a detailed explanation on "Investor Communication Strategies."

CEO Lim stressed, "Communication at shareholder meetings is a process of reassessing a company's probabilities and risk premiums," adding that "rather than simply explaining outcomes, companies should clearly design risk factors such as governance and capital allocation as policies and indicators to reduce market uncertainty."

The third and final session featured Hyoseop Ahn, Senior Expert and newly appointed Director of the Sejong Corporate Governance Institute (former Head of Governance at Korea ESG Research Institute), who shared communication strategies for proxy advisory firms based on his extensive experience in the field.

Director Ahn commented, "From the time when most shareholder meeting agendas have been virtually finalized, it becomes the time for proxy advisory firms," and advised, "Prompt and strategic clarification can determine the success or failure of a shareholder meeting."

Director Lee Donggeon stated, "The Sejong Corporate Governance Strategy Center, in close collaboration with the Corporate Governance Institute, will continue to share the latest trends in corporate governance and provide in-depth practical and strategic insights."

Meanwhile, the Sejong Corporate Governance Institute, launched following the recent recruitment of Senior Expert Hyoseop Ahn, is providing practical and differentiated solutions that companies can immediately utilize in the field. These include communication strategies with domestic and international proxy advisory firms and institutional investors, governance improvement consulting, and response strategies for regular shareholder meetings, all based on its accumulated experience in corporate governance, stewardship code implementation, and engagement with institutional investors.

*Stewardship Code

The stewardship code refers to a set of guidelines designed to ensure that institutional investors go beyond mere shareholding to actively engage with investee companies for the long-term benefit of clients and beneficiaries. Introduced first in the United Kingdom in 2010, it has since been adopted in Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Japan, the United States, Australia, Germany, and other countries. Korea adopted the code in 2016. It is also translated as the "Principles of Fiduciary Responsibility" or "Institutional Investor Code of Conduct."

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