Sae Youn Kim

Sae Youn Kim is a senior member of the International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation Practice of Kim & Chang.

Ms. Kim practices primarily in the areas of international litigation and arbitration with an emphasis on commercial and international law.

Before joining Kim & Chang, she served as a judge at various Korean district courts, and practiced as a key member in major Korean law firms. Ms. Kim also sits as an arbitrator. Her expertise in international dispute resolution has been recognized by the variety of roles she holds and held in various institutions, including but not limited to a Commissioner of the Korea Trade Commission, a Vice-Chair of the Arbitration Committee of the International Bar Association, a Co-Chair of the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association, and a Court member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. She is regularly selected as a leading lawyer by publications such as Chambers Global, Who’s Who Legal, Legal 500, and Asialaw.

She has co-authored various publications on several aspects of Korean law, including commercial litigation, arbitration, investment arbitration, construction, and privilege. She also speaks regularly in conferences organized by the International Bar Association, Inter Pacific Bar Association, and various arbitral institutions across the world. Besides being regularly selected as leading lawyer, she was also awarded Commended Counsel by ASIAN-MENA COUNSEL in 2016 and Woman Lawyer of the Year, by ALB Korea Law Awards in 2018.

Ms. Kim received an LL.M. from Duke University Law School in 2007, and her LL.B. from Seoul National University College of Law in 1991. She graduated the Judicial Training and Research Institute by the Supreme Court of Korea in 1994. She speaks and practices in both Korean and English.

Experience

• Member, Arbitration Court of Swiss Arbitration Centre (2025-Present)
• Council Member, Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (2024.9.-Present)
• President, Korean Council for International Arbitration (KOCIA) (2024.4.-Present)
• International Mediator, Singapore International Mediation Center (SIMC) (2023-Present)
• Council Member, ICC Institute of World Business Law (2022-Present)
• Member, KCAB INTERNATIONAL Women’s Interest Committee (2021-Present)
• Court Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration (2021.7.-2024.6.)
• Member, International Arbitration Committee, KCAB INTERNATIONAL (2021-Present)
• Vice-Chair, IBA Arbitration Committee (2021-2022)
• Co-Chair, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee, IPBA (2020.6.-2024.4.)
• Kim & Chang (2019-Present)
• Alternate Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration (2019-2021)
• Commissioner, Korea Trade Commission (2018-2021)
• Co-Chair, Asia Pacific Arbitration Group, IBA (2019-2020)
• Vice President, KOCIA (2018.3.-2024.3.)
• Specialist Mediator, Singapore International Mediation Center (SIMC) (2018-2023)
• Sponsorship Officer, Litigation Committee, IBA (2018)
• Vice Chair, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee, IPBA (2017-2020)
• Regional Representative Asia General, Litigation Committee, IBA (2016-2017)
• Member, Board of Advisors, FDI Moot (2016-Present)
• Member, Committee for Legislation of Act on Promotion of Arbitration Industry (2015)
• Member, Legal Advisory Board to the Ministry of Justice (2015-Present)
• Arbitrator, SIAC (2014-Present)
• Member, Working Group on Harmonizing Arbitration Laws, APAG, IBA (2014-2016)
• Member, Committee for Revision of Arbitration Act, Ministry of Justice (2013-2014)
• Board Member, KOCIA (2012-2018)
• Board Member, International Association of Korean Lawyers (2012-Present)
• Advisor, Advisory Board on Investor State Dispute, Ministry of Justice (2011-Present)
• Commissioner, Industry Accident Compensation Insurance Appeal Committee (2009)
• Arbitrator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (2008-Present)
• Yulchon LLC (2005-2019)
• Member, The Central Administration Council (2004-2010)
• Lee & Ko (2001-2005)
• Judge, Suwon District Court (2000-2001)
• Judge, Daejeon District Court (1998-2000)
• Judge, Seoul District Court (1996-1998)
• Judge, Seoul Southern District Court (1994-1996)

Education

• Duke Law School (LL.M., 2007)
• Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea (1994)
• Seoul National University College of Law (LL.B., 1991)

Qualifications

• Admitted to bar, Korea, 1994; New York, 2011

Languages

• Korean
• English