Tak-Kyun Hong

Practice Areas

Mr. Tak-Kyun Hong is currently a partner at Shin & Kim, where he specializes in advising companies on government investigations, criminal trials, and regulatory matters. Mr. Hong also advises clients on anti-corruption or anti-money laundering compliance, along with corporate internal investigations.

Mr. Hong has extensive experience handling a variety of government investigation cases, addressing issues such as bribery of public officials; fraud, embezzlement, or breach of trust by executives of large corporations; financial market crimes including accounting fraud, stock market manipulation, or fraudulent financial transactions; theft of trade secrets involving the semiconductor, automotive, or battery industries; criminal competition law violations such as collusion or unfair practices; and violations of trade or foreign exchange transactions regulations. Additionally, Mr. Hong has advised Korean companies in the World Bank’s investigation and sanctions proceedings, as well as in the US Department of Justice (DOJ) or Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). He has also been involved in matters related to mutual legal assistance treaties and extradition between Korea and other countries.

Mr. Hong earned a bachelor’s degree in politics from Seoul National University, an LL.M in corporate law from New York University, and a Ph.D. in competition law from Sungkyunkwan University. He has also contributed as a visiting researcher at UC Irvine School of Law. Prior to joining Shin & Kim, Mr. Hong handled civil and criminal court cases as a public-service advocate and served as a public prosecutor at district offices of the Prosecutors’ Office, including the Cheongju District Prosecutors’ Office. Currently, he holds a position as a board member of the International Association of Korean Lawyers (IAKL).

Career

Shin & Kim LLC (2006-Present)

Prosecutor, Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office (2005-2006)

Prosecutor, Yeongdong Branch of Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office (2004-2005)

Prosecutor, Seognam Branch of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office (2002-2004)

Public-Service Judge Advocate, Korea Legal Aid Corporation (1999-2002)

Judicial Research & Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea (1997-1999)

[Professional Affiliations]

Board member, International Association of Korean Lawyers (2017-Present)

Member, Publication Distribution Deliberation Committee (2013-2018)

Professional Memberships

Korean Bar

New York Bar

Publications

Anti-corruption and Anti-Bribery Regulations and Corporate Ethics (Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission, January 2024)

Anti-Corruption Law (Parkyoungsa, 2023)

Country Q&A: South Korea - Business Crime and Investigations in South Korea: Overview (Thomson Reuter Practical Law, 2022) (Co-authored)

The Law Review – International Investigations Review 2017-2022: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

GIR Insight – GIR Know-How Extradition 2019-2021: Korea Chapter (Co-authored)

Review of Legal Issues re KFTC’s Authority in the Criminal Prosecution of Competition Law Violation (The Journal of Comparative Private Law, August 2018)

A Study on the World Bank Sanctions System (Business Law Review, June 2018)

Legal Issues around Fixed Book Price in Korea (The Journal of Comparative Private Law, May 2016) (Co-authored)

Avoiding bae-im (The Lawyer, September 2014) (Co-authored)

“Make Sure Not to Commit Bae-im” (AMCHAM Journal, 2014 Q3, Vol. 81 No.3) (Co-authored)

A study on the proof of Cartels (Ph.D. Thesis, Sungkyunkwan University, 2010)

Analysis of US Judicial Precedents regarding Double Jeopardy Joinder and Collateral Estoppel (Collection of Theses of Overseas Trained Public Prosecutors, Legal Research & Training Institute, 2006)

Legal studies on the Efficiencies and Failing Firms in Merger Analysis (Vol. 116 of the "Prosecutors' Office" journal, Supreme Prosecutors' Office, November 2005)

Legal Study on Efficiencies and Failing Firms in Merger Analysis (Master's Degree Thesis, Sungkyunkwan University, 2002)

Work Highlights

Represented clients in criminal investigations and trials, including cases of bribery of public officials, fraud, embezzlement, breach of trust, and tax evasion.

Represented clients in accounting fraud involving a large accounting firm.

Represented clients in capital market regulation cases such as stock price manipulation, fraudulent transactions in violation of the Capital Markets Act

Represented clients in criminal investigations and trials involving the leakage of national core technology or trade secrets in automotive manufacturing industry or semiconductor industry.

Represented an oil refinery company, an online music service company, a health care product manufacturing company, a Japanese manufacturing company in criminal collusion cases.

Advised clients in a government investigation regarding violations of the Foreign Exchange Act in connection with foreign currency transactions involving a large arms broker and a religious organization.

Represented a foreign company in a government investigation regarding violations of the Foreign Trade Act, involving misrepresentation of country of origin, product specifications, performance details, and test results.

Provided independent anti-money laundering audits for financial companies, such as loan companies and casinos.

Provided anti-corruption lectures and advice on the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act (a.k.a Kim Young Ran Act).

Advised pharmaceutical companies in internal investigations or government investigations involving illegal rebates.

Advised foreign companies in their internal investigation of misconduct committed by Korean branch managers involving a USD 30 million fraud.

Advised a U.S. listed company and a European bank on a business e-mail compromise scam.

Advised on asset recovery measures for foreign companies defrauded of company funds.

Advised a Korean company on a World Bank investigation and sanctions proceedings.

Advised a Korean accounting firm and conglomerate in the investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Advised a foreign executive in a government investigation and subsequent international mutual legal assistance matter initiated by the Korean Prosecutors’ Office.

Advised a Korean national facing extradition request from the Australian government.

Advised a company seeking the extradition of its manager with US citizenship for an investigation of misconduct.

Education