LAWYER PROFILE
Helen Pak

Helen Pak

Asia-Pacific 2026

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Ranked in 3 practice areas

About

Provided by Shin & Kim

Practice Areas

Hyunju Helen Pak is a senior foreign attorney at Shin & Kim and a member of the firm’s banking and finance group.

Her practice concentrates on project financing, real estate financing and institutional investor representation in global private investment fund settings. Helen has extensive experience in cross-border financing and investment transactions and has represented major institutional clients in a wide range of matters. Her clients include National Pension Service of Korea, Korea Investment Corporation, Korea Export-Import Bank, The Korea Trade Insurance Corporation, Korea Development Bank, J.P. Morgan Chase, Standard Chartered Bank, Hanhwa Asset Management Co., Ltd., Meritz Alternative Investment Management Co., Ltd., IGIS Asset Management Co., Ltd., Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung SRA Asset Management Co., Ltd. She is ranked as a leading lawyer by Chambers Global and IFLR for Korea in the area of banking and finance.

Helen began her practice at the New York offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in 1987 and joined Shin & Kim in 1992. She returned to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in 1996 and stayed with its Hong Kong office until August of 2001. She then returned to Korea 2003 and joined Horizon Law Group. She became a member of Shin & Kim’s banking and finance group in 2007.

Helen received her B.A from Cornell University in 1984 in Government and Economics. She received her J.D. from Columbia University Law School in 1987. She is a member of the New York State Bar. She is a fluent speaker of English and Korean.

Career

Shin & Kim LLC (2007-Present)

Horizon Law Group (2003-2007)

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Hong Kong (1996-2001)

Shin & Kim (1992-1996)

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, New York (1987-1992)

[Professional Affiliations]

External member, Investment Review Committee, Public Officials Benefit Association (2023-Present)

Professional Memberships

New York State Bar.

Publications

Chambers Global Practice Guides – Banking Regulation 2021: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

South Korea: Cross-Border Financing Report 2016, IFLR, October 2016

South Korea: Cross-Border Financing Report 2015, IFLR, October 2015 (co-authored)

South Korea: Cross-Border Financing Report 2014, IFLR, October 2014 (co-authored)

South Korea: Cross-Border Financing Report 2013, IFLR, October 2013 (co-authored)

Work Highlights

Advised the National Pension Service on alternative investments in the U.S., U.K., Europe, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, and other regions through real estate, infrastructure, and private equity funds (2010 - Present)

Advised Korea Gas Corporation, Lotte Chemical Corporation, and others on the development of a gas field and gas chemical plant (worth USD 4 billion) in Surgil, Uzbekistan (2008 - Present)

Advised the Export-Import Bank of Korea and Korea Trade Insurance Corporation on the ship financing totaling approximately USD 800 million for Scorpio Tankers Inc. (2013 - Present)

Advised Korea Trade Insurance Corporation on the financing for a petroleum coke-fired gas plant in Louisiana project by Lake Charles Clean Energy, LLC (2013 - Present)

Advised Korea Trade Insurance Corporation on the financing of the Natural Gas GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) plant project (worth USD 5 billion) in Oltin Yo'L, Uzbekistan (2013 - Present)

Advised AIG on the refinancing of the Seoul International Financial Center in Yeouido, South Korea (2013 -2014)

Advised the Export-Import Bank of Korea on the ship financing for an LNG carrier worth USD 1.1 billion for Bonny Gas Transport Ltd., a subsidiary of the NLNG (2013)

Advised the Export-Import Bank of the United States on the refinancing of a copper mine in Boleo, Mexico (2013)

Advised Industrial Bank of Korea and other Korean commercial banks on the credit facility for Doosan Infracore's issuance of perpetual bonds worth USD 500 million (2012)

Advised Industrial Bank of Korea on the letter of credit facility for the issuance of USD 220 million of municipal bonds by CJ Bio America (2012)

Education

Columbia University School of Law

J.D.

1987

Cornell University

B.A.

1984

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Asia & Pacific

Banking & Finance - South Korea

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial
Helen Pak is a leading lawyer in South Korea. She handles a wide range of finance mandates, often advising on cross-border acquisition and investment financing transactions on behalf of domestic and international policy and commercial banks.

Shipping: Finance - South Korea

Band 3
Band 3

Individual Editorial

Helen Pak maintains a highly active practice advising on a range of ship finance transactions in the South Korean market. Her expertise continues to attract many instructions from export credit agencies, banks and insurance companies.

Projects & Energy - South Korea

Band 4
Band 4

Individual Editorial
Helen Pak regularly advises on international deals on behalf of Korean sponsors, lenders and investors' consortiums in both the conventional and renewable power markets.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Helen Pak is a partner you can trust.

    Banking & FinanceChambers Asia & Pacific
  • She has extensive experience and consistently provides proactive guidance that is one or two steps ahead of what financial institutions typically request. She is highly outstanding.

    Shipping: FinanceChambers Asia & Pacific

Ranked Individuals at Shin & Kim (83)

South Korea

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