Wonsik Yoon is a co-managing partner of BLP Law Offices. Prior to joining BLP in 2019, he worked as a partner for Barun Law LLC for 16 years, serving as the Co-Chair of the International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation Practice Group. He is qualified to practice law in both Korea and California.
Mr. Yoon has successfully handled numerous international arbitration cases before leading institutions including KCAB, AAA/ICDR, ICC and LCIA both as counsel and arbitrator. He has also successfully represented domestic and foreign clients in court proceedings in multiple jurisdictions including the Supreme Court of Korea.
Mr. Yoon’s expertise encompasses corporate advisory, real estate, M&A, international transactions, and cross-border investment matters. Recognized for his legal acumen, Mr. Yoon was named a Leading Lawyer in Dispute Resolution & Litigation by Asialaw for 2016, 2017, and 2018. He has also been honored as a Notable Practitioner in Dispute Resolution for 2020/2021, 2023/2024, and 2024/2025.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2019 – present BLP Law Offices (Seoul, Korea), Co-Managing Partner
2003 – 2019 Barun Law LLC (Seoul, Korea), Partner
2000 – 2003 Yoon & Yang LLC (Seoul, Korea), Partner
2000 Carney Badley Spellman, P.S.(Seattle, Washington), Visiting Attorney
1980 – 1983 Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Seoul, Korea), Diplomatic Official
ADVISORY POSITIONS
2023 – present Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, International Mediator
2017 – 2023 Korean Drug Co., Ltd., Member of the Board
2015 – present Investment Deliberation Committee of the Teachers’ Pension Fund, Member
2013 – present Alternative Investment Committee of the National Pension Fund, Member
2012 – 2022 Risk Management Committee of the Korea Foundation Fund, Member
2012 – present Korean Association of Arbitration Studies, Director
2011 – present Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, International Arbitrator
2009 – present Korean Arbitrators Association, Director
2004 – present Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, Arbitrator
BAR ADMISSIONS
2002 Admitted to the State Bar of California
1989 Admitted to the Korean Bar Association
EDUCATION
1998 – 1999 University of Washington School of Law (LL.M.)
1987 – 1989 Judicial Research and Training Institute, the Supreme Court of Korea
1977 – 1981 Seoul National University (B.S. in Economics)
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
International Arbitration as Counsel
- Successfully represented a global nuclear energy company in two KCAB international arbitration cases involving nuclear power plant construction projects in Korea (claim amount: USD35million and USD6million).
- Represented a Korean company against a major European engineering and construction company in KCAB arbitration in connection with a steelmaking plant construction project in Korea.
- Represented a French company against a major Korean construction company in KCAB arbitration in connection with a power plant construction project in the Middle East.
- Represented a global software company in ICC arbitration against a major Korean automotive parts manufacturer involving a software licensing agreement.
- Represented a major US medical imaging company in AAA/ICDR arbitration against a Korean company involving a dispute over a trade secret infringement.
- Represented a Korean company against a US company in AAA/ICDR arbitration in connection with an agency agreement for the sales of automotive parts to global automotive manufacturers.
- Represented a Saudi company as co-counsel, together with a global law firm, in LCIA arbitration and Korean court disputes concerning the construction of a production plant for chemical products in the Middle East.
- Represented an Israeli company in a KCAB international arbitration case involving foundation claims between the Israeli company and the bankruptcy administrator of a major domestic shipping company.
- Represented a Greek company in a KCAB international arbitration case involving foundation claims between the Greek company and the bankruptcy administrator of a major domestic shipping company.
- Represented a UK company in KCAB arbitration against a state-owned company in Korea concerning an installation agreement of a security facility for the construction of the Incheon International Airport.
- Represented a US defense company in KCAB arbitration against the Korean government involving a dispute over a purchase and installation agreement for radar equipment in connection with construction of the radar sites for the Korean Air Force.
- Represented a US supplier of equipment used in construction of a polysilicon manufacturing facility in Korea in KCAB arbitration against a major Korean construction company.
- Represented a major global international sport management company in KCAB arbitration filed to claim for the payment of the service fee for a design of construction of a golf course in China.
- Represented a Bangladesh company in a KCAB international arbitration against a Korean company involving a dispute over defects in the textile goods manufacturing equipment.
International Arbitration as Arbitrator
- Chair for an ICC arbitration concerning operating income disputes related to a major bridge in Korea, constructed via a private investment involving a foreign infrastructure fund and a Korean local government.
- Chair for a KCAB international case between a Korean company and an international re- insurance company regarding demand for payment of re-insurance claims arising from a ship building project.
- Chair for a KCAB arbitration case between the project owner and the construction company for a domestic solar power plant construction project.
- Chair for a KCAB arbitration case involving a taxi business operator in Cambodia and a Korean investor.
- Chair for a KCAB international case between a Taiwan company and a Korean company regarding an agency contract dispute.
- Chair for a KCAB international case between a Korean company and a British company regarding supply of portable DVD devices.
- Co-arbitrator for a KCAB international case involving a dispute between a Korean construction company and three French companies related to a purchase order for tunnel boring machines for a metro construction project in Singapore.
- Co-arbitrator for KCAB arbitration concerning construction cost disputes related to a major highway rest area development project in Korea, constructed via private investment.
- Co-arbitrator for KCAB arbitration regarding the dispute between a Philippine company and a Korean public enterprise over the Philippine rural development construction project.
- Co-arbitrator for KCAB arbitration regarding the dispute between a Korean company and a Korean public enterprise over the Ambatovy nickel mine development project in Madagascar.
- Co-arbitrator for a KCAB international case between a Singapore company and a Korean construction company in connection with a gas development construction project in Myanmar.
- Co-arbitrator for a KCAB international case between a Korean company and an Israeli defense company regarding supply of air force military equipment.
- Co-arbitrator for a KCAB international case between a Korean company and an Italian company in connection with an exclusive distributor agreement regarding fashion products.
- Co-arbitrator for a KCAB international case between a Belize company and a Korean company involving construction of a solar power energy plant in Italy.
- Sole arbitrator for a KCAB international case between a Chinese company and a Korean company involving contracts regarding a mobile game.
- Sole arbitrator for a KCAB international case between a Korean company and a US company in connection with a supplier agreement of military ammos.
- Sole arbitrator for a KCAB international case between a Korean company and a Chinese company in connection with a molybdenum sales agreement.
- Sole arbitrator for a KCAB international case between a Korean company and an Egyptian company in connection with a copper ingot sales agreement.
- Sole arbitrator for a KCAB international case between a Korean company and an US company in connection with an alloy wheel sales agreement.
International Litigation (Korean and Overseas Litigation)
- Successfully secured enforcement of a U.S. judgment in both the district and high courts in Korea (enforcement amount: USD 10 million), and currently representing the client in the ongoing case before the Supreme Court of Korea.
- Successfully represented the United States in Korean court proceedings under the Hague Evidence Convention, securing evidence for a high-profile lawsuit brought by the U.S. SEC in the United States against Terraform Labs and Do Kwon involving Terra and Luna cryptocurrencies.
- Representing a major UK law firm in a lawsuit against a Korean asset management company, in Korean district court, for the recovery of unpaid legal fees from a UK real estate project.
- Successfully represented shareholders in management rights dispute cases before Korean courts concerning joint venture companies in Korea (including major confectionary company, automobile heat treatment company, cosmetics company).
- Successfully represented foreign companies and an embassy in Korea in various labor law disputes between the companies and their employees.
- Advised and represented foreign companies in civil and/or criminal cases with regard to embezzlement, breach of trust, etc. by their employees.
- Successfully represented foreign insurance companies and manufacturing companies in product liability lawsuits that were filed claiming for damages.
- Obtained enforcement judgments for a number of overseas judgments and arbitral awards and provided assistance for compulsory execution in Korea.
- Represented and advised foreign clients in criminal cases carried out before Korean investigation agencies and courts.
- Represented a Korean company as co-counsel, in collaboration with a U.S. law firm, in a successful lawsuit against MEMC Inc. in a U.S. federal court over a polysilicon sale and purchase agreement. The court awarded a verdict of USD 19 million.
- Provided legal advice to Exxon Mobil Corporation on Korean legal issues in a U.S. lawsuit against a Korean company related to defects in heavy construction equipment.
- Advised Nissho Iwai on Korean legal issues and secured evidence in Korea for a U.S. lawsuit against a Korean government-owned corporation concerning letters of credit.
- Advised Broadcom Corporation on Korean legal issues in a U.S. lawsuit against Qualcomm Inc.
Corporate/ M&A/Cross-Border Investments
- Advised various foreign clients, including LEONI AG, Conde Nast, u-blox AG, Rheem Manufacturing, and GE on various Korean law issues, including labor law, M&A, and bankruptcy law.
- Advised Taeyoung F&B Co., Ltd. on franchise business in relation to “Zoo Coffee”.
- Advised and represented foreign companies, including Marubeni Corporation, Sumitomo Warehouse Co., Ltd. and Nichias Corporation on the rehabilitation and bankruptcy procedures in Korea.
- Advised foreign companies, including GE, Deutche Bank, and ING on investments in Korean real estate.
- Advised on the merger of Hapag-Lloyd and United Arab Shipping Company.
- Advised on the establishment of a joint venture between Calbee, Inc., a Japanese company, and Haitai Confectionary & Foods Co., Ltd.
- Advised Baring Private Equity on acquisition of the shares issued by Kyobo Life Insurance Company.
- Advised the CSAV Group, the largest shipping company in the Central South Americas, on the incorporation of a subsidiary in Korea.
- Advised on the cadastral survey project carried out in Jamaica through the formation of an international consortium by Korea Cadastral Survey Corporation.
- Advised Palm Clean Energy Inc. on the project to develop a molybdenum mine in Canada.
- Advised POSCO on the establishment of a private equity fund for a project to develop foreign
- Advised Marriott International Hotels on labor law compliance in Korea.
PUBLICATIONS
- “Financial Services Disputes (1st Edition): South Korea Chapter” – Global Legal Insights, 2019. Co-authored.”
- SIAC Articles: An Introduction to North Korea’s External Economic Arbitration Act” – Singapore International Arbitration Centre, 2018. Co-authored.
- “Korean Arbitration Review (9th Issue): Recognition and Enforcement of the Exemplary Damages Portion of an International Arbitration Award in Korean Courts” – Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, 2018. Co-authored.
- “International Arbitration (3rd Edition): South Korea Chapter” – Global Legal Insights, 2017. Co-authored.
- “Practical Law Global Guide: Enforcement of Judgments and Arbitral Awards, South Korea Chapter” – Thompson Reuters, 2015. Co-authored.
- “Commercial Litigation: European Lawyer Reference Series, South Korean Chapter” – Thomson Reuters, 2011. Co-authored.
MISCELLANEOUS
Languages:
- Korean (Native)
- English (Fluent)
- Japanese (Proficient)
Awards/Recognition:
- 2022: Minister of Justice Commendation for contributions to arbitration in Korea
- 2016, 2017 & 2018: Recognized as an Asialaw Leading Lawyer in Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- 2020/2021, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025: Named an Asialaw Notable Practitioner in Dispute Resolution & Litigation
