C.J. Kim

About the LawyerMr. Kim is one of the renowned and representative maritime lawyers in Korea. He obtained his Ph.D. degree with his studies on multi-modal transportation. He has been involved in the major matters of maritime, insurance and international trade disputes for over 30 years since 1984. He has contributed to the provision of new perspectives in the maritime law by finding hidden issues and applying them in resolving disputes. C. J. Kim is a founding partner of Choi & Kim, the largest maritime law firm in Korea. He was formerly a partner at the maritime, insurance and aviation section of Lee & Ko in Korea and was a foreign legal consultant at Sinclair Roche & Temperley in London. He has been actively involved in a full range of maritime, insurance and aviation practice over 30 years. In particular, he has handled various cross-border commercial litigations and arbitrations. C. J. Kim is an arbitrator at the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, and a member of the Korea Maritime Law Association as an advisor, the Korea Insurance Law Association as an advisor, and the Korea Financial Law Association as a director. Career Admitted to bar: 1981, Korea. Seoul National University (LL.B., 1978); Graduate School of Law, Kyung Hee University (LL.M., 1999; Ph.D., 2004); Judge Advocate Officer, Korean Air Force (1981-1984). Arbitrator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, 1993-. Mediation Commissioner of Seoul Appellate Court (2007-) Vice President, Korea Maritime Law Association (2008-2014) President, Korea Insurance Law Association (2014-2016) Chairman, Sewol Investigation Commission (2017.4-2018.8) Seoul Bar Association; Korean Maritime Law Association; Insurance Law Research Group; Korean Financial Law Association. Writings and treatise Articles: “A Study on Legal Status of a Freight Forwarder and a Multimodal Transport Operator” (Doctoral Dissertation); “The Demise of the Time Charter? A Korean Law Perspective”; “Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims in Korea”; “Market Manipulation and BBB Policy”; “Product Liability in Korea”; “Principle of Good Faith in a Letter of Credit Transaction”; “Liquidation of Hanjin Shipping and Its Insolvency Law Implication”; and others.Within the field of insurance law, Mr. Kim is widely regarded as one of the most renowned insurance lawyers in South Korea and is especially known for his strength in complex insurance and reinsurance litigation. As a senior and founding partner of Choi & Kim, he regularly advises leading domestic and international insurers and reinsurers, including protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs and specialized insurance providers, on coverage disputes, liability issues and cross-border claims. His work frequently involves large-scale insurance matters arising out of maritime incidents, cargo loss, commercial risk allocation and international trade, as well as sophisticated reinsurance arrangements and policy interpretation in a multi-jurisdictional context. He is noted for his ability to integrate his deep maritime and trade background into insurance law strategy, providing comprehensive solutions to policyholders, insurers and other stakeholders in high-value dispute resolution.ExperienceMr. Kim has been practicing law since his admission to the Korean Bar in 1981 and has focused on major matters in insurance and related dispute resolution for more than three decades. Beginning his legal career as a Judge Advocate Officer in the Korean Air Force from 1981 to 1984, he gained early experience in governmental and regulatory aspects of risk and liability. Following his military service, he entered private practice and developed a strong profile in insurance, maritime and aviation matters.He was formerly a partner in the maritime, insurance and aviation section of Lee & Ko in Korea, where he represented insurers, reinsurers and commercial parties in complex coverage and liability disputes, including cross-border commercial litigation and arbitration. He also served as a foreign legal consultant at Sinclair Roche & Temperley in London, further expanding his exposure to international insurance and reinsurance markets and comparative legal frameworks.As a founding partner and senior partner at Choi & Kim, Mr. Kim has been actively involved in a full range of insurance and reinsurance practice, including specialized lines such as marine insurance, liability insurance and other commercial insurance products connected to maritime and aviation operations. He has acted for major P&I clubs, international shipping companies and insurance and reinsurance companies in significant disputes, frequently involving complex factual scenarios, multi-party claims and parallel proceedings in multiple jurisdictions. His case experience includes large-scale casualty and pollution events, cargo and hull claims, and cross-border commercial disputes where insurance coverage and allocation of risk are central issues.In addition to his work as counsel, Mr. Kim has longstanding experience as an arbitrator at the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, where he has presided over or participated in numerous insurance-related and commercial disputes. He has also served as a mediation commissioner at the Seoul appellate court (Seoul High Court), contributing to the effective settlement of contentious insurance and commercial matters. His leadership roles within professional associations, including serving as President of the Korea Insurance Law Association from 2014 to 2016 and as an advisor to the Association, underline his prominence and influence in the development and modernization of Korean insurance law.SpecialtyMr. Kim’s primary specialty is insurance and reinsurance law, with a particular emphasis on disputes arising out of maritime and international trade activities. His expertise covers:

• Insurance and reinsurance litigation: Representing insurers, reinsurers, P&I clubs and insured parties in complex court proceedings involving coverage, subrogation, contribution, and allocation of liability, including large casualty and pollution claims.
• Marine insurance law: Advising on hull, cargo, freight and liability insurance policies, as well as protection and indemnity cover, with a focus on risk assessment, policy wording, interpretation and claims handling in relation to shipping and logistics operations.
• Specialized commercial insurance: Handling disputes involving specialized insurance products connected to maritime and aviation sectors, and commercial activities such as international trade, where issues of policy structure, exclusions, limitations of liability and security interests frequently arise.
• Cross-border insurance disputes: Managing and coordinating multi-jurisdictional insurance and reinsurance disputes, including arbitration and litigation involving foreign insurers, reinsurers and commercial entities, and addressing choice of law, jurisdiction and enforcement issues.
• Regulatory and doctrinal development in insurance law: Contributing to the evolution of Korean insurance law through his leadership in the Korea Insurance Law Association and related research groups, offering insights on market practices, policyholder protection and the interaction between insurance law and financial regulation.

Mr. Kim’s practice integrates technical knowledge of insurance contracts and reinsurance structures with practical experience in contentious proceedings, enabling him to advise clients across the full life cycle of insurance relationships—from policy drafting and risk transfer to claims resolution and post-dispute restructuring.EducationMr. Kim received his LL.B. from Seoul National University in 1978, establishing his foundational legal training in Korean law. He later pursued graduate studies at the Graduate School of Law, Kyung Hee University, where he obtained his LL.M. in 1999 and his Ph.D. in law in 2004. His doctoral research focused on multi-modal transportation, a subject closely intertwined with marine insurance and risk allocation in international logistics, providing a strong academic basis for his later specialization in insurance and reinsurance matters.His combined academic background and practical experience have enabled him to contribute scholarly work on topics relevant to insurance and related fields, including market conduct, product liability and good faith in financial and trade transactions, which inform his approach to insurance law and dispute resolution.