Yoon & Yang LLC (“Yoon & Yang”) has recently bolstered its litigation practice by recruiting three former judges as partners: Oh Young Lee, a former presiding judge at the Seoul Central District Court, Jeong Dae Park, a former presiding judge at the Seoul Administrative Court, and Dong Bok Park, a former high court judge at the Suwon High Court.
Oh Young Lee spent the last four years as the presiding judge in the construction division of the Seoul Central District Court, handling real estate and construction-related trials. In 2023, he was recognized as a construction specialist judge. Lee is widely regarded as a leading expert in real estate and construction litigation, co-authoring Handbook on Practices of Construction Trials, a go-to guide for judges in construction trials, as well as the Manual of Construction Appraisal published by the National Court Administration.
Having started his judicial career in 2000 as a judge at the Seoul District Court, he handled various cases, including civil, criminal, application, and insolvency matters, across different court levels. He served as a judge responsible for insolvency and application cases at the Cheongju District Court, a judge in the construction division at the Seoul High Court, a presiding judge in charge of warrants at the Ulsan District Court, and a presiding judge of the criminal appeals division at the Suwon District Court, before retiring as the presiding judge at the Seoul Central District Court in 2025.
Lee regularly volunteers his time for various pro bono programs and looks for ways to give back to the society. For instances, during his tenure as a judge, Lee organized educational sessions on personal bankruptcy and rehabilitation for the local communities in 2006, when these systems were not widely known. In 2016, he also taught acoustic guitar to teenagers at a residential facility for juveniles subject to protective disposition under the Juvenile Act every week for several months and performed with them on a court stage.
Jeong Dae Park served as a judicial researcher in the Supreme Court’s criminal and labor division, specializing in labor and administrative cases, and served as a secretary of the Supreme Court’s Labor Law Theories and Practices Society. He handled administrative cases for seven years, including his tenure at the administrative agreement divisions at both the District and High Courts, as well as his three years as a presiding judge at the Seoul Administrative Court. After retiring as the presiding judge of the labor and occupational health and safety division at the Seoul Administrative Court, Park participated as a contributor and editorial committee member for Theories and Practices of Administrative Litigation, which will soon be published by the Seoul Administrative Court, demonstrating his deep understanding and expertise in administrative and labor cases.
During his tenure at the Seoul Administrative Court, Park decided on some of the trendy issues. For instance, he ruled in one case that location tracking services for minors require the consent of the child, who is the subject of the location information, in addition to parental consent. In another case, he ruled that when a user of a specific SNS service uses another service provider's platform, the transmission of information regarding such user’s friends constitutes the unauthorized provision of personal data, thereby justifying corrective orders and fines against service providers for data protection violations. In other case, he determined that when the largest shareholder of a mutual savings bank is a corporation, the largest shareholder of that corporation must also meet the qualifications of a major shareholder, emphasizing financial protection for the public through appropriate regulation of second-tier financial institutions such as savings banks. Lastly, in cases involving serious workplace fatalities, he underscored the importance of a rational interpretation of industrial accident laws, ruling that an employer's responsibility must be carefully examined in the context of its business relationship with the company. He is known for his balanced approach, adhering to legal principles in dispute resolution while ensuring an impartial balance between private rights and public interests.
Dong Bok Park served as a high court judge at the Suwon High Court, handling appellate trials for various litigation cases, including criminal, civil and administrative matters.
Graduating at the top of his class as a member of the 16th class of Korea National Police University and receiving the Presidential Award, he earned a master's degree in constitutional law from the Seoul National University Law School through its educational training program while also passing the 44th Bar Exam. He is regarded as an elite lawyer among legal professionals who graduated from Korea National Police University.
Having started his judicial career at the Changwon District Court, he has held positions in key criminal divisions at various courts, including the Suwon District Court, Seoul Central District Court, Seoul Southern District Court, and Suwon High Court, acquiring a high level of expertise in criminal cases. With his background from Korea National Police University, he is an expert in criminal law and possesses strong capabilities in handling all stages of criminal cases from investigation to court proceedings. Additionally, he served as the Ethics Audit Officer at the National Court Administration, a role typically held by elite judges within the court system.
Park recently delivered a well-reasoned judgment in the ‘V Global Fraud’ case, where approximately 2.25 trillion Korean Won was defrauded through virtual asset investments. He meticulously analyzed the structure of a multi-level fraud scheme involving virtual assets. While serving in the administrative division at the Suwon High Court, he adopted practical and reasonable interpretation of the “fair market value” after thoroughly examining the unique facts and circumstances behind each transaction in a number of transfer pricing cases. Furthermore, he has demonstrated strong communication skills, having served as a reviewer at the National Court Administration, a Judicial Administration Support Judge, and a Public Information Officer, reflecting his ability to effectively engage with the media and legal professionals.
With these key additions, Yoon & Yang has significantly enhanced its litigation capabilities in construction, administration, labor, and criminal law, reaffirming its position as one of the top law firms in Korea with a team of elite litigation experts. The firm continues to expand its litigation practice across various industries and legal areas by recruiting experienced professionals.
Managing Partner Myung Soo Lee commented, “with the recruitment of these highly specialized former judges, Yoon & Yang’s litigation practice has been further strengthened. We are committed to continuously hiring top-tier experts to deliver unparalleled, differentiated services to our clients.”