John H Choi

John H. Choi is a senior foreign attorney at Shin & Kim. Mr. Choi is a member of the firm's Antitrust Practice Group and currently serves as Chair of Global Cases and Investigations.

Mr. Choi brings exceptional depth of experience and credibility to clients facing complex antitrust and competition law matters. John is widely recognized as Korea’s foremost antitrust practitioner. With more than three decades of experience advising multinational corporations and Korean conglomerates, John has played a leading role in the country’s most significant unilateral conduct and cartel investigations, merger reviews, and global competition cases.

John is internationally regarded by clients and peers alike for his unparalleled legal insight, commercial acumen, and impeccable ethical standards. According to Chambers Asia-Pacific, clients describe John as “legendary in the Korean legal community for his unchallenged ethical standards and excellent lawyering skills,” and as “simply the best” for global antitrust investigations. Others highlight that “John Choi’s client service has been consistently excellent, comprehensive and very responsive,” praising his “very strong sophistication, commercial vision, and integrity.”

John served as a key advisor to leading global corporations in cross-border investigations, representing clients in high-stakes cartel, dominance, and merger control matters involving parallel reviews by authorities in the United States, European Union, Japan, and Korea. His experience extends across numerous industries, including technology, semiconductors, finance, automotive, and telecommunications.

John regularly counsels boards, executives, and compliance teams on complex competition compliance and risk management strategies. His practical understanding of KFTC procedures, combined with his strong relationships with enforcement officials, enables him to help clients navigate investigations efficiently and strategically. He is also sought after for his advice on guiding clients through crisis management situations involving regulatory or reputational exposure.

John’s clients consistently turn to him for his combination of technical excellence, commercial judgment, and integrity. As one long-time client noted, “John Choi is the best of the best in terms of client service and responsiveness. His commercial sense and impeccable integrity set him apart.”

He continues to be a trusted advisor to many of the world’s leading corporations operating in Korea and across the Asia-Pacific region.

John is ranked as a leading individual (Band 1) in Chambers Asia-Pacific for many years and is highly regarded in other global legal directories for Antitrust and Competition. He is recognized not only for his deep expertise but also for setting the benchmark in client service, professional ethics, and leadership within Korea’s legal community.

Shin & Kim LLC (1998-Present)

Adjunct Professor, Seoul National University College of Law (2008-2009)

Samjung International (1996-1998)

Haight, Brown & Bonesteel (1994-1996)

California Bar

The International Comparative Legal Guides - Merger Control 2018-2026: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

GCR Merger Remedies Guide (Edition 6) 2025: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

Chambers Global Practice Guides – Antitrust Litigation 2021, 2023-2025: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

Lexology In-Depth Dominance and Monopolies 2024-2025: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

Chambers Global Practice Guides – Cartels 2019, 2021-2025: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

Lexology Panoramic (formely Getting the Deal Through) – Cartel Regulation 2023-2025: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

Chambers In-Depth Overview – An Introduction to Competition/Antitrust 2024: Korea Chapter

Chambers Global Practice Guides – Litigation 2023-2024: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

The Law Reviews – The Dominance and Monopolies Review (Edition 11) 2023: Korea Chapter (Co-authored), etc.

Advised global semiconductor company in abuse of market dominance case

Advised foreign automobile manufacturer in exhaust gas collusion case

Advised global container shipping company in collusion case

Advised foreign automobile manufacturer in collusion with dealers case related to sale of automobiles

Advised foreign bank and won decision from KFTC to end deliberation on collusion case without imposing sanctions

Advised multiple global companies in antitrust damages lawsuits

Advised multiple global companies on merger filings and interested parties in merger filing proceedings

UCLA, School of Law

J.D.

1994

UCLA

B.A., Political Science

1991