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Image: Dong Chul Kim

Dong Chul Kim

Partner, Corporate Department

Seoul

Phone: 82-2-6321-3803
Fax: 82-2-6321-3903

Overview

Dong Chul Kim is a partner in the Corporate practice of Paul Hastings and the chair of the firm’s Seoul office. Mr. Kim practices in the fields of capital market transactions and mergers and acquisitions, as well as international dispute and compliance matters. He has represented a number of Korean corporate clients and international investment banks in their transactions. 

Education

  • Columbia University School of Law, J.D., 2005
  • Judicial Research & Training Institute of Korea, 1999
  • Seoul National University, LL.B., 1997

Representations

  • SJL Partners and SD Biosensor on a definitive merger agreement to acquire Meridian Bioscience, Inc., a NASDAQ-listed diagnostic testing solutions and life science raw materials provider, in an all-cash transaction for US$1.53 billion. Our team is assisting SJL Partners and SD Biosensor in all elements of the transaction, including M&A, regulatory and enforcement, antitrust, tax, employee benefits, IP, finance, real estate, privacy and data security and global trade controls. “Cross Border M&A Deal of the Year 2023” by The Asia Legal Awards, “M&A Deal of the Year (Over $1 billion) by The M&A Advisor’s International M&A Awards 2023 and Recognized as “One of the Most Innovative Law Firms - Deal making” (Commended) by Financial Times Innovative Lawyer Asia-Pacific Report 2023.
  • LG Energy Solution, one of the world’s leading battery manufacturers, on its US$10.7 billion global offering and listing on the Korea Exchange. This IPO set the record of the largest IPO in South Korean capital markets. The transaction was awarded “Equity Market Deal of the Year 2022” and “IPO Deal of the Year 2022” by ALB Korea Law Awards, Best of Northeast Asia 2022” by FinanceAsia's Achievement Awards and “Securities Deal of the Year: Equity 2023” by The Asia Legal Awards.
  • Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and Samsung Securities as the joint bookrunners on the US$1.3 billion global offering and listing of Kakaopay Corp., the largest mobile payment app in Korea, on the Korea Exchange.
  • Goldman Sachs and NH Investment & Securities as joint bookrunners in the US$283 million global offering and listing on the Korea Exchange of K Car, a leading retailer in South Korea selling various used cars through its online platform and trading centers.
  • HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) on its US$1 billion acquisition of Ithaca Holdings, a U.S. integrated media company with interests across music, tech, film, television, brands and culture.
  • Netmarble, the largest mobile-gaming company in South Korea, in the US$1.2 billion proposed business combination of Jam City, a leading mobile entertainment company behind some of the world’s highest grossing and most enduring mobile games, and DPCM Capital, Inc., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company.
  • Hanwha Systems in its US$300 million investment to acquire a 8.8% stake with certain governance rights in OneWeb, a U.K.-based global communications network powered from space, enabling connectivity for governments, businesses, and communities.
  • Krafton Inc., a leading game developer in Korea, on its US$3.8 billion IPO and listing on the Korea Exchange. Credit Suisse, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan, Mirae Asset Securities and NH Investment & Securities acted as the joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners. This transaction marked the largest IPO on the Korea Stock Exchange in 2021 and the third largest IPO in the history of South Korean capital markets.  
  • Hanwha Systems, a leading manufacturer of defense electronics products in Korea, on its US$345 million IPO and listing on the Korea Exchange. This is the second largest IPO in South Korea in 2019.
  • IYUNO Media Group, a Singapore-based provider of content localization, media, and creative post-production services, on its merger with BTI Studios, a Sweden-based company that provides media localization and access services. The combined company will become a new global market leader in content localization industry.
  • Lotte Chemical USA Corporation on its US$816 million sale of a 34.79% membership interest in LACC to Eagle US 2, a subsidiary of Westlake Chemical Corporation.
  • Samsung Electronics in its US$8 billion acquisition of Harman International Industries, Inc., the market leader in connected car solutions. The transaction is Samsung’s largest-ever acquisition, and is the largest Korean outbound M&A transaction on record.
  • Citigroup and Goldman Sachs as the joint bookrunners in the US$1 billion global depositary receipts (GDRs) offering by Kakao Corp., the operator of leading mobile and online platforms in Korea.
  • Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Samsung Securities as underwriters in the US$977 million IPO and listing of ING Life Insurance Korea on the KRX KOSPI Market.
  • Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan as underwriters in the US$1.1 billion IPO and listing of Samsung SDS, an information technology service provider based in Korea, on the KRX KOSPI Market.
  • Citigroup and Morgan Stanley as the joint bookrunners in a US$200 million exchangeable bond offering by Kakao Corp., exchangeable into shares of Loen Entertainment.
  • GS Engineering & Construction Corp. in its issuance of US$150 million convertible bonds.
  • Hanjin International Corporation, a U.S.-based subsidiary of Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd., in its issuance of the US$300 million floating rate notes and guaranteed by the Export-Import Bank of Korea.
  • Citigroup and Goldman Sachs in a US$340 million global depositary receipts (GDRs) offering by Hanwha Chemical Corporation, a leading global chemicals company based in Korea.
  • Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and UBS in the US$298.4 million global depositary receipts (GDRs) offering by the Industrial Bank of Korea.
  • Credit Suisse as sole bookrunner on the US$114 million global depositary receipt (GDRs) offering by Youngone Corporation.
  • BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Nomura and UBS as joint bookrunners on the offering by Lotte Shopping of KRW321.2 billion USD-settled exchangeable bonds exchangeable into shares of Lotte Himart.
  • Samsung Electronics in its US$1.5 billion private share redemption transaction with Seagate Technology, a NASDAQ-listed manufacturer of hard disk drive (HDD) and storage solutions.
  • Hansol Paper Co., Ltd. in its acquisition of Schades Group, a leading European supplier of thermal paper rolls and self-adhesive labels for specialty applications, from Capidea Kapital, a Danish private equity fund.
  • Samsung Securities as the manager in the US$100 million offshore floating rate notes issued by Hanwha SolarOne Hong Kong Limited and guaranteed by Hanwha Chemical.
  • The Korea Development Bank and The Export-Import Bank of Korea in several SEC-registered offerings of debt securities.
  • Korea Finance Corporation in its inaugural SEC-registered offering of US$750 million of notes and related application to the SEC for exemption from the Investment Company Act.
  • BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, HSBC and J.P. Morgan as initial purchasers in an inaugural Rule 144A/Reg. S offering of US$500 million of notes by Hyundai Steel Company.
  • BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup and Crédit Agricole CIB as solicitation agents in a consent solicitation by National Agricultural Cooperative Federation of Korea in connection with its reorganization.
  • CJ HelloVision in its KRW 293 billion initial public offering of common stock in Korea, which included a Rule 144A/Reg. S international tranche.
  • Hyundai HCN in its KRW 83 billion initial public offering of common stock in Korea, which included a Rule 144A/Reg. S international tranche.
  • POSCO in a ¥24.526 billion Reg. S offering of notes issued by Zeus (Cayman) II, exchangeable into ADSs of SK Telecom and guaranteed by POSCO.
  • KB Financial Group in its KRW 1.1 trillion SEC-registered rights offering of 30 million new shares, both directly and in the form of ADSs.
  • Hynix Semiconductor in its Reg. S offering of US$500 million of convertible notes.
  • SK Telecom in its Reg. S offering of US$332 million of convertible notes.
  • STX Pan Ocean in its Reg. S offering of US$200 million of convertible notes.
  • Morgan Stanley as the underwriter in MSCI Inc.’s US$290 million IPO and listing on the NYSE.
  • Capital One Financial Corporation in its US$14.6 billion acquisition of North Fork Bancorporation.

    Practice Areas

    Securities and Capital Markets

    Asia

    Korea


    Languages

    Korean

    English


    Admissions

    New York Bar

    Republic of Korea: Foreign Legal Consultant for U.S. Law (New York Lawyer)


    Education

    Columbia Law School, J.D. 2005

    Seoul National University School of Law, LL.B. 1997


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