Press Coverage

The Fair Trade Compliance Program (CP) refers to an internal compliance system to voluntarily comply with the laws and regulations under the Fair Trade Commission. For the competition authorities, it has the advantage of minimizing administrative costs due to ex post sanctions, and for companies, it not only prevents the burden of investigations and sanctions, but also prevents the corporate image from being tarnished. Above all, if CP is introduced and its operation performance is evaluated as excellent, there is a benefit of receiving a fine reduction of up to 20%. CP, which was introduced in 2001, was abolished in 2014 due to criticism that it was being abused for the purpose of reducing fines. However, it became a more effective system by establishing the basis for fine reduction incentives in the law in 2023. Recently, the Fair Trade Commission has issued an administrative notice on the revision of the CP notice and is collecting opinions, and the main changes are the evaluation stage, additional points, and evaluation procedures. First of all, the order of the evaluation stages is There has been a change. The existing evaluation was conducted in the order of documents, on-site evaluation, and in-depth interviews, but starting this year, face-to-face (interview) evaluation will be conducted after document evaluation. Afterwards, the evaluation process and work will be somewhat simplified as on-site evaluations will be conducted only for companies that have recorded (scheduled) a face-to-face evaluation score of 85 or higher. In particular, systems excluding rating invalidation, rating withholding, and rating invalidation during rating adjustment during the evaluation process will be abolished. Rating withholding refers to a system of withholding ratings when inappropriate reasons arise for assigning a rating due to concerns about compromising the fairness and reliability of the CP system, such as when a case is being submitted for alleged violation of fair trade-related laws. Grade correction is a system where measures are lowered if a violation of the law occurs before or after the grade is assigned. Starting this year, if you are punished for interfering with investigative activities or are evaluated in a false or fraudulent manner, such as by submitting false data, your evaluation will be invalidated. The most important thing in the CP rating is the CEO's will. The areas where the CEO's will can be quantified include △whether CP is introduced, △appointment of a compliance manager, △dedicated organization and budget support, △education, △prior monitoring and whistle-blowing, △incentives, and △effectiveness evaluation. In particular, it is recommended to enter the CEO's participation and the number of reports and approvals in most of the detailed measurement indicators. Strengthening the capabilities of the CP department is essential. In particular, in the case of additional points, the capabilities of the CP department become important. The evaluation items consist of 48 for large companies and 40 for medium-sized and small-sized companies, but the CP department cannot fill these items through independent efforts. However, since the points factors can be accomplished through CP's own efforts, strengthening capabilities is essential. Most companies that received AA to AAA ratings last year are operating as a team directly under the CEO, such as appointing vice presidents and other relevant leadership. In particular, you must pay attention to the introduction and operation of CP by other companies (partners) with the highest points (4 points). Analysis of best practices is also important. This is because the number of evaluation targets more than doubled last year compared to the year before, making qualitative evaluation through comparison with other corporate cases inevitable. Therefore, it is necessary to persuade internal stakeholders, such as the CEO, by referring to best practices and, if possible, receive assistance from external experts with extensive CP consulting experience. Small and Medium Business Team[View full article] Recent changes to the fair trade compliance program and response strategies (link)

Today, the Korean legal market is at a crossroads where structural change is inevitable, beyond simple internal competition. Sustainable competitiveness can no longer be achieved simply by taking on more cases or securing talent. What is needed now is a decision and implementation as to whether to stick to the existing office-centered, individual performance-centered traditional structure or to reorganize into an integrated system that meets global standards. In a situation where large American law firms have already been institutionally allowed to enter the country through the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), unless changes are made, there will be no place for Korean law firms in the next stage of competition. Nevertheless, many domestic law firms still look like one organization on the outside, but in reality, they are adhering to a ‘separate system’ structure in which overall operations such as case acceptance, profit distribution, and cost management are separated by partner units. This is a structure in which the appearance and substance of the organization are inconsistent, and has structural limitations in collaboration, integration, and brand management. On the other hand, the ‘regional distributed-operation integrated model’ commonly adopted by large global law firms is a structure in which offices are integrated and operated under one system even if they are dispersed by region. However, due to a lack of understanding of this, there are many cases in Korea where it is misunderstood as an unfamiliar and inefficient system, or appears in a distorted form as a ‘network law firm’ that only imitates its appearance. Meanwhile, resistance to the transition to this global system is expressed in the form of regulation through regulations or misleading the media. However, such resistance is inevitably powerless in the face of the huge flow of the global market. The moment large foreign law firms enter the domestic market in earnest, the market order and competitive landscape will be quickly reorganized. This is similar to the case in the past when the iPhone appeared in the domestic market, where existing mobile phone brands immediately took the lead. Therefore, rather than rejecting the introduction of the global system, we must first accurately understand it and implement and operate it ourselves to take the lead. Daeryun Law Firm was the first to detect this trend of change and set a clear strategic direction in line with it. Daeryun's goal is not to survive domestically, but to grow into a large global law firm. To this end, we have learned and interacted with the systems of major law firms around the world, and while preparing to open Daeryun's New York office, the author also visited the New York headquarters of Milbank LLP and saw first-hand the practical integrated operating system in which partners of different nationalities jointly handle one case. Based on this experience, Daeryun has established an integrated operating system between offices across the country, a case sharing system, and a centralized risk and accounting management system that meets international standards. In addition, we are actively reviewing and preparing for implementation of various forms of practical global cooperation, such as strategic partnerships with foreign law firms, joint brand building, mutual investment, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The reality facing Korean law firms is not a matter of choice. Having a structure and system that meets global standards is a necessary condition for survival, and furthermore, rather than passively accepting the standards, we must actively design them to fit our reality and materialize them in a way that can actually operate. Daeryun Law Firm was the first to detect these changes and is actually creating a structure appropriate for them. Through this, Daeryun hopes to become a standard that suggests the direction in which Korean law firms should move.[View full article] [Contribution] Korean legal market in crisis, must move forward to meet global standards (Click here)

A man in his 60s, who was at risk of being sent to trial on charges of receiving insurance money by issuing a false medical certificate, was cleared of the charges after a supplementary investigation. According to the legal community on the 8th, the Hyehwa Police Station in Seoul recently decided not to send Mr. A, in his 60s, who was booked on charges of violating the Special Act on Prevention of Insurance Fraud. Mr. A was booked and investigated by the police on charges of receiving insurance benefits by issuing a false medical certificate at a hospital in 2021. The insurance company sued Mr. A, believing that he had obtained insurance money by collaborating with the hospital and receiving the treatment in multiple installments. However, Mr. A denied the charges, saying that he received normal treatment according to the doctor's recommendation to treat his disease. At the same time, he claimed that since he received the insurance money after going through the insurance company's review process, if there was a mistake, it was the insurance company's fault. Initially, the police believed that Mr. A was guilty and sent the case to the prosecution with a recommendation for prosecution. However, the prosecution decided that a more detailed investigation was necessary and requested a supplementary investigation. After a supplementary investigation, the police confirmed that Mr. A had received multiple medical certificates and submitted them to the insurance company, but determined that he had been treated according to the doctor's opinion without any medical expertise. In addition, since the procedure and re-treatment were normally recorded in the medical record, it was ruled that it could not be said that he received a false medical certificate or colluded with the doctor. Mr. A's representative, Soo-hwon Kim, a lawyer at the Daeryun Law Firm, said, "In order to be guilty of insurance fraud, you must receive insurance money based on a false medical certificate, such as by intentionally extending the treatment period. However, during the investigation, we were able to avoid punishment by emphasizing the fact that Mr. A received a normal procedure to treat the disease he suffered from." Reporter Jeong Cheol-wook[View full article] Man in his 60s booked for insurance fraud with false medical certificate… After supplementary investigation, the case was not transferred (link)

Established in 2005, contributing to the revitalization of the Jeju bio industry and economic development by providing legal advice on e-commerce for member companies and assistance with legal risks for overseas expansion, Daeryun Law Firm announced on the 8th that it had signed an MOU with the Jeju Bio Enterprise Association, an incorporated association. The signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Jeju Bio Enterprise Association on the 3rd, with key officials including Chairman Kim Seong-hoo of the Jeju Bio Enterprise Association, attorney Daeryun Ko Seung-seok, attorney Jeong Jin-seong, and head of counseling Kim Gyeong-wook attending. The Jeju Bio Enterprise Association was established in 2005 and has been contributing to the revitalization of related industries and economic development by collecting problems and exchanging information with bio companies in the province. The ‘Jeju Product Direct Market’ operated by the Jeju Bio Enterprise Association sells Jeju special products such as agricultural and livestock products, processed foods, and cosmetics in cooperation with the association’s member companies. In addition, it participated in the New York Excellent Product Exhibition in 2017 and held a drive-through promotional event with Jeju Techno Park in 2020. The two companies decided to cooperate in various fields, including legal assistance in transactions between companies. Through this agreement, Daeryun plans to provide legal services in areas such as △ legal advice on e-commerce for member companies △ prevention of legal risks when entering overseas markets △ corporate labor and tax advice. Jeju Bio Business Association Chairman Kim Seong-hoo said, “For the past 20 years, the Jeju Bio Business Association has worked to revitalize the bio industry in the province,” and added, “Under the motto of common value of regional coexistence, we will work with Daeryun to explore routes such as our own mall and overseas customers.” “We will create synergy for Daeryun,” said Kim Kook-il, CEO of Daeryun Management, adding, “Daeryun has competitive lawyers working as a team within the corporate legal group and medical pharmaceutical group, and legal assistance related to overseas transactions is also available.” He added, “Through this MOU, we will spare no effort in providing legal assistance to help the Jeju Biotechnology Industry Association pioneer overseas markets and establish itself as a competitive product mall.” Reporter Cheon Ju-young (young1997@mydaily.co.kr)[View full article] Jeju Bio Industry Association signs MOU with Daeryun Law Firm (Click here)

Establishing a global growth partnership through legal support such as import/export legal advice and patent application assistance Daeryun "We will spare no effort in supporting Hwanghae to establish itself stably in overseas markets." Daeryun Law Firm announced on the 7th that it signed a business agreement (MOU) for entry into the global market with venture company Hwanghae EDA Co., Ltd (hereinafter referred to as 'Yellowhae'). This agreement ceremony was held at Hwanghae's headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 3rd, and was attended by CEO Kim Kuk-il and lawyer Kim In-won from Daeryun's side, and CEO Park Jong-chan and former Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo from Hwanghae's side. Hwanghae is a company that is developing and disseminating an eco-friendly farming method that combines nanotechnology with the chlorella farming method demonstrated by the Rural Development Administration. Recently, it is also expanding its environmentally friendly energy business through cooperation with large-scale emitting companies such as KEPCO and POSCO based on carbon dioxide recycling technology. Through this MOU, Daeryun plans to provide professional and prompt legal support for all legal issues that may arise during Hwanghae's global expansion and business expansion. Specifically, it plans to provide comprehensive legal services including international trade and import/export legal advice, intellectual property protection and patent applications, and domestic and international litigation and arbitration response in the event of a dispute. Park Jong-chan, CEO of Hwanghae, said, “In the process of preparing for overseas expansion, it is necessary to systematically manage various legal issues such as patent protection, review of investment contracts, and response to regulations in each country,” and expressed expectations, “Through the agreement with Daeryun, we will be able to further strengthen our global competitiveness.” Kim Kuk-il, CEO of Daeryun Law Firm, said, “Daeryun provides comprehensive legal services in collaboration with not only lawyers but also accountants, labor attorneys, tax accountants, and customs experts, and we provide diverse support to companies preparing to enter the global market based on overseas branches and networks. We will continue to provide full legal support to help Hwanghae secure a stable position in overseas markets.” Meanwhile, Daeryun Law Firm is collaborating with a number of companies by providing customized legal solutions in areas such as corporate legal affairs, overseas expansion consulting, and intellectual property protection. With this MOU, it is expected to serve as a reliable legal partner in Hwanghae's global growth journey.[View full article] Daeryun-Yellow Sea EDA business agreement signed... Legal assistance for international trade, patents, etc. (Go here)

A group of people who impersonated a victim they met in an open chat and stole 35 million won worth of money and valuables was sentenced to prison for stealing tens of millions of won worth of money and valuables by deceiving a woman suffering from mental illness. The court said, “A crime that took advantage of a relationship of trust... The crime was bad and the damage was significant.” A group of people who defrauded a woman suffering from mental illness and stole tens of millions of won worth of money and valuables was sentenced to prison. The Eastern Branch of the Busan District Court sentenced two people, including Mr. A, who were put on trial on charges of quasi-fraud in February, to one year and one year and four months in prison, respectively. They were accused of opening a mobile phone in the name of Mr. B, whom they met in an open chat room in 2021, and making small payments without permission. In addition, it was confirmed that they stole money from Mr. B's account and obtained a loan by impersonating Mr. B based on false documents, stealing about 35 million won in money and valuables. It was revealed that they committed this crime by deliberately approaching Mr. B, knowing that he suffers from autism and lacks intellectual ability. The court sentenced them to prison. sentenced. The court explained the reason for sentencing, saying, “The nature of the crime that took advantage of a personal relationship of trust is bad and the amount of damage is significant,” and “The defendants did not faithfully attend the trial, such as failing to appear at the trial date, and committed the crime while on probation for the same crime.” Attorney Chun Jeong-min of Daeryun Law Firm, who represented Mr. B, said, “At the time of applying for the loan, the defendants falsely filled out an income verification form, which amounts to forging a private document.” “When submitting it to the bank, you could be subject to severe punishment as you were even charged with using a forged private document,” he said. Digital Content Team[View full article] A gang that deceived a mentally ill woman and extorted money... Law, prison sentence (link)

Served as Chief Judge of Seoul Central District Court and Eastern District Court... Daeryun Law Firm, with a variety of experience including public life as a trial researcher at the 23rd Court and an arbitrator at the Korea Commercial Arbitration Board, announced on the 7th that it will recruit lawyer Yeo Sang-won, who has experience as a chief judge, to strengthen its litigation capabilities in all areas. Attorney Yeo, who graduated from Gyeongbuk High School and Seoul National University Law School, is a ‘two-time winner of the civil service exam’, having passed both the 1981 public administration exam (25th) and the 1983 bar exam (25th). Attorney Yeo, who took her first steps into the legal field by being appointed as a judge at the Uijeongbu District Court in 1988, served at the Seoul Southern District Court, the Changwon District Court, and the Seoul High Court, and served as the head of the Yeongdong branch of the Cheongju District Court. Afterwards, he served as a chief judge at the Suwon District Court, Seoul Central District Court, and Seoul Eastern District Court, where he tried various cases and also served as head of the criminal department dedicated to drugs. He also has diverse experience in in-depth legal review, including as a trial researcher at the Supreme Court and as an arbitrator at the Korea Commercial Arbitration Board. After completing 23 years of public service, Attorney Yeo began her full-time legal career in 2011. For example, a defendant with a history of using methamphetamine was sentenced to probation. In addition, he achieved significant results in a number of civil and criminal cases, including winning a drug price reduction lawsuit on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and receiving the Minister of Health and Welfare's Award. In addition, he has participated as a political and legal panelist for major general programming channels for over 10 years, and is currently serving as the chairman of the People Power Party's Central Ethics Committee. Attorney Yeo will reside at the headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul and will be in charge of criminal cases, including various contract laws, drug crimes, and sex crimes. Attorney Yeo said, “I feel an infinite sense of responsibility as I join Daeryun, a fast-growing law firm ranked among the top 10 law firms,” and added, “I will utilize my nearly 40 years of legal experience to devise a plan to achieve the results my clients want.” Kim Kook-il, CEO of Management, said, “Daeryun is making efforts to provide the most satisfactory legal services to clients, including by recently establishing a litigation management headquarters.” He added, “We expect that the company’s responsiveness in the litigation field will be greatly enhanced by the addition of a female attorney with long experience.”[View full article] Sejeong Ilbo - Daeryun Law Firm recruits lawyer Yeo Sang-won, a former chief judge... The person you see a lot on TV (Shortcut) Kukje News - Daeryun Law Firm recruits lawyer Sang-won Yeo, former chief judge... Strengthening Litigation Competency (Shortcut) Legal News - Daeryun Law Firm Recruits Attorney Sang-won Yeo, Former Chief Judge (Click here)

While on trial for fraud, a man in his 50s who stole hundreds of millions of won through another fraudulent act was sentenced to prison. According to the legal community on the 7th, the Incheon District Court sentenced Mr. A, in his 50s, who was indicted on fraud charges in February, to 3 years and 6 months in prison. Mr. A deceived two people, including Mr. B, who was introduced through an acquaintance in 2020, and stole about 670 million won in investment funds. This is a charge. At the time, Mr. A deceived the victims by saying, "We are currently pursuing a project to build and sell a legal town. The holding work has been completed and the building is expected to be completed within a year." He said, "If you invest, we will definitely pay the principal and profits." However, the project was not even completed, and the building permit was canceled by the local government in charge, making it impossible to proceed with the business normally. In particular, Mr. A was being tried for fraud at the time, but did not inform the victims of this fact. It was revealed that he had continued to receive investment money. The court sentenced Mr. A to 3 years and 6 months in prison and stated the reason for the sentence, saying, “The amount of damage was large, and although a considerable amount of time had passed since the date of the crime, no significant recovery of damage to the victims was achieved.” It also ordered payment of 470 million won to Mr. B, one of the victims. Mr. B’s legal representative, attorney Park Shin-young of the Daeryun Law Firm, said: “Mr. A continued to engage in deceptive behavior, including writing a false memorandum of performance of promise to the victim asking for the return of the investment money,” he said. “During the trial, he did not even make a sincere apology or even make an effort to repay the damages, so he needed to be severely punished.” Reporter Eui-jin Jeong (jej88@ikbc.co.kr)[View full article] 'Suspicion of fraud', 50-year-old, committed fraud of hundreds of millions of won while on trial (Shortcut)

Recently, some media and established law firms are labeling new law firms that operate in different ways as ‘network law firms’, thereby creating a negative perception. Although new law firms may lack capital compared to established law firms, they are confident that they are not inferior in their desire for innovation and the ability to implement it. However, we deeply regret the attempts to check the growing law firms and distort their essence through this ‘frame’. Strategies such as △operating multiple branch offices △digital marketing-centered customer approach strategy △efficient case handling system, etc. must be understood in terms of the philosophy and operation method pursued by each law firm. However, standardizing these into one framework stems from a lack of understanding of the direction of development of ‘future legal services.’ The most important thing is whether the legal system works around customers. This was when I was a young lawyer. The client was crying in the courtroom hallway. When I looked closely and asked, ‘Did I lose the case?’, the trial had not even started. But soon a roar was heard. On this floor, a fairly famous lawyer was yelling at his client. I realized the backwardness and authoritarianism of the domestic legal market as I saw customers who paid for legal services and were reprimanded again. At that time, I first felt that in legal services, the customer should be the subject of the service. Daeryun Law Firm, which started from this awareness of the problem, has ‘customer-centered legal service’ as its core philosophy. Most established law firms have offices in Seoul and bring local clients to Seoul. On the other hand, Daeryun has offices close to living areas for convenient access from anywhere. Even after the appointment, the customer management team regularly checks the level of satisfaction and communication, and if necessary, a system has been created to replace the attorney in charge and provide refunds. This process attracted enough attention that large Japanese law firms also wanted to benchmark it. Another key to change is marketing methods. Until just a few years ago, the legal market was more closed than anywhere else. In order to find out what legal information was available, I had to mobilize my family and friends to do some digging. To that extent, it has become natural for this market to be ‘operated in the dark’ centered around judicial brokers. This ultimately resulted in excessive fees being passed on to customers. In order to eliminate this method and increase transparency and accessibility of information, we have made online marketing our main method. Just by looking at the website, you can now understand the sentences and issues. However, this method eventually led to an overheated advertising market, and high advertising costs once again led to the burden on customers. Today, the case handling system of global law firms is similar to the hospital treatment system. Professional personnel are assigned to each stage, including consultation, writing, and trial attendance, to increase work efficiency and quality. The key is to establish a structure in which the general manager takes center stage and each stage collaborates closely to prevent this division of labor from becoming irresponsible. The reason we operate a single One Firm system, which is rare in Korea, is for strategic consistency and communication with customers. Attorneys at Jeon Gwan are no exception, and under this structure, they also contribute substantially to the overall case handling, including attendance at trials and strategic advice. In addition, we generously reinvest in institutional innovation, such as developing AI legal services, improving customer service, and expanding into global markets. Legal services are now evolving from expert-centered to customer-centered. What is more important than the size or form of the structure is what philosophy it operates on. Changes in the market have already begun, and Daeryun will respond to them with action. Representative Attorney Park Dong-il (Daeryun Law Firm)[View full article] The subject of legal services is the ‘customer’ (Shortcut)

Daeryun Law Firm, which operates educational programs such as international legal theory and practice, announced on the 3rd that it signed an MOU with Ewha Womans University Law School (Law School) to foster global legal professionals. At the signing ceremony held at Ewha Womans University Law School on the 2nd, Daeryun's Managing Director Kim Kuk-il, Director Attorney Ye-seom Lee, Ewha Womans University Law School Dean Kim Hyeon-cheol, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs Kim Byeong-seon, Student Affairs Vice Dean Jeong In-kyung, and Planning and Evaluation Department Director Lim Jae-hyuk attended the signing ceremony. It was conducted with participation. Ewha Womans University Law School, which opened in 2009 after graduating from the College of Law in 1950 and the College of Law in 1996, is a historic educational institution that has produced many of the best female lawyers in Korea. Ewha Womans University Law School has led the legal field by producing Korea's first female lawyer, Constitutional Court judge, and Minister of Government Legislation. In addition, last year, it ranked first among 25 law schools nationwide in hiring new trial researchers and prosecutors. Daeryun ranked 9th in terms of sales in the law firm industry last year, becoming one of the top 10 law firms in the domestic legal market. This is thanks to the establishment of specialized groups in each field, including corporate, tax, and medical care, and the steady recruitment of experts suited to the characteristics of each field. In particular, the company is accelerating its expansion into Tokyo, Japan, and New York, USA, and is also targeting the global market. In addition, as part of his social responsibility, Daeryun established the public interest association ‘Relationship Law’ in February and began activities in earnest. This agreement was promoted to increase international competitiveness by nurturing global young and prospective legal professionals. Through this agreement, the two companies plan to cooperate in △ domestic and international legal market analysis research △ lectures on international legal theory and practice △ promotion of education and seminars to foster global legal professionals. In particular, Daeryun plans to provide special benefits by selecting trainees every year and providing them with practical training opportunities. Through this, Ewha Womans University Law School students are expected to be able to gain experience in the actual legal field. Director Kim Hyun-cheol of Ewha Womans University Law School said, “We signed this agreement to open good opportunities to more students. We plan to hold a ‘talent fair’ in the future, and I hope it will be an opportunity to introduce global vision and direction between both companies.” He added, “A variety of practical experiences are needed to cultivate global legal professionals, and Daeryun, a law firm that is in the midst of expanding into overseas markets, can be of great help. “I think there will be, and I hope that students will be able to gain diverse learning and experiences through future exchanges.” In addition, Director Kim added, “I would like to participate as a member of ‘Relationship Law,’ an incorporated association established by Daeryun, and realize the values ​​of education and public interest together.” Daeryun CEO Kim Kuk-il said, “I am happy to cooperate with Ewha Womans University, which has a reputation as a prestigious institution for producing lawyers,” and added, “We plan to select excellent students every year and help them broaden their knowledge of the overseas legal market.” He said, “Currently, we are in the process of expanding into overseas markets such as Japan and the United States, as well as recruiting human resources such as lawyers specializing in foreign law. We will spare no effort in providing support where we can.” Reporter Park Jun-sik (parkjs@wowtv.co.kr)[View full article] Korea Economic Daily - Daeryun Law Firm and Ewha Womans University Law School join hands... “Collaboration to nurture global legal professionals” (link) Venture Square - Daeryun Law Firm and Ewha Womans University Law School join forces to nurture global legal professionals (Go here) Legal Times - [Law Firm iN] Daeryun-Ewha Womans University Law School MOU signed (Click here) Legal News - Daeryun Law Firm and Ewha Womans University Law School conclude a business agreement to foster global legal professionals (Go here) Law School Times - Ewha Womans University Law School, Daeryun Law Firm and MOU for ‘Training Global Legal Professionals’ (Click here) Legal Journal - Daeryun Law Firm and Ewha Womans University Law School join forces to ‘train global lawyers’ (Go here)