Yulchon Expands M&A Capabilities with the Addition of Irene Y. Kim

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Press Release - Yulchon LLC is pleased to announce that Irene Y. Kim has joined the firm as a foreign attorney and partner in the Corporate & Finance Group. Ms. Kim brings over a decade of experience in cross-border M&A, joint ventures, and international tax matters, with a background that spans private practice, government service, and in-house counsel roles in both Korea and the United States.

Prior to joining Yulchon, Ms. Kim was a partner at Yoon & Yang LLC, where she worked in the corporate and tax practice. She has advised a range of clients, including luxury and fashion brands, financial institutions, and manufacturers in Asia, United States, and Europe. Her deal experience includes advising Hana Securities on its investment in Wedbush Financial Services, advising Shinhan Financial Group on its acquisition of Prudential Vietnam Finance Company, and advising CHA Medical Group on its acquisition of City Fertility Centre and Singapore Medical Group.

Ms. Kim also worked as an in-house legal counsel at Samsung Electronics, supporting the System LSI Division. In that role, she led negotiations on technology licensing, strategic partnerships, and commercial agreements with global tech companies. Earlier in her career, she served as an attorney at the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Office of Chief Counsel, where she advised the agency with respect to complex transactions surrounding Fortune 500 companies, with an emphasis on M&As, tax-free reorganizations, and shelter transactions.

“Irene’s diverse background and experience across multiple jurisdictions make her a strong addition to our M&A and cross-border transactions team,” said Jae Hyun Park, head of Yulchon’s M&A Practice. “Her arrival further strengthens our ability to provide clients with practical, cross-functional legal advice in increasingly complex transactional environments.”

Ms. Kim’s addition follows the recent recruitment of partners with extensive experiences in cross-border M&As, including Sung Uk Park, Yinshu Jin and So Yeon Yoon, and builds on Yulchon’s continued efforts to expand its M&A capabilities. Her past collaboration with four other M&A partners who joined from another major Korean law firm in early 2024 is expected to contribute positively to her transition.

Ms. Kim earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and holds a B.S. in Business Administration, summa cum laude, from the University of Baltimore. She is admitted to the New York Bar and the United States Tax Court.