Overview

Beomsu Kim is the Managing Partner at KL Partners.

Prior to establishing KL Partners, Mr. Kim was a partner at Shin & Kim leading the International Dispute Resolution practice group over 16 years. He also had previously served as a judge at the district courts of Korea for nine years before joining Shin & Kim.

His main areas of practice are international arbitration and cross-border litigation. He is a member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)’s International Court of Arbitration and has served as an arbitrator in arbitration proceedings under the auspices of the ICC, the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB), among others. Mr. Beomsu Kim also represents investors in the first ever investor-state dispute (ISD).

Mr. Kim is the former President of the Korean Council of International Arbitration (KOCIA) and was a member of the Management Committee of the Seoul International Dispute Resolution Center (SIDRC). He also served as an advisor to the KCAB International Committee. He is the former Executive Director of International Relations for the Korean Bar Association.

Mr. Kim has consistently been chosen as a leading lawyer in the fields of international arbitration and corporate matters, and has continuously received favorable reviews in leading foreign legal journals such as Chambers, IFLR1000 and Legal500. Of particular note, Mr. Kim was named by ALB as one of “Asia’s Super 50 Dispute Lawyers” in 2021, considering factors such as expertise, visibility, reputation and dedicated client service.


“He has excellent client connections throughout the
Korean business world,” while others praise his ability to offer
clear advice, one referring to him as “fantastic.”

— Chambers and Partners


Experience

WORK EXPERIENCE

  • KL Partners Co-Founder / Managing Partner | 2015. 9. – present
  • Korean Council of International Arbitration(KOCIA) President | 2018 – 2020
  • Shin & Kim Partner | 2000 – 2015
  • ICC International Court of Arbitration Member | 2015. 7. – 2021
  • Management Committee of the Seoul International Dispute Resolution Center (SIDRC) Member | 2013 – 2021
  • The Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB) Arbitrator | 2009 – present
  • International Transaction Law Committee, Ministry of Justice Member | 2002 – present
  • District Courts of Korea Judge | 1988 – 1997

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS

  • Representation of a leading Korean construction company in an UNCITRAL arbitration relating to a dispute arising from a construction project in India.
  • Representation of a Korean game company in a KCAB arbitration relating to a dispute arising from a license agreement.
  • Representation of a leading Korean private equity fund in an ICC arbitration relating to its investment in a global financial institution in Korea.
  • Representation of a German company in a Korean litigation against a local distributor of agricultural products in Korea.
  • Representation of a local real estate developer in a UNCITRAL arbitration in connection with one of the largest commercial real estate development projects in Korea.
  • Representation of a Belgian investor in the first ever investor-state dispute (ISD) brought against the Republic of Korea.
  • Representation of the United States investors in the first ever investor-state dispute (ISD) brought against the Republic of Korea.

Credentials

EDUCATION

  • University of Houston Law Center | LL.M., 1999
  • University of Florida | LL.M., 1997
  • Judicial Research and Training Institute | Complete, 1988
  • Seoul National University, College of Law | B.A, 1986

ADMISSIONS

  • New York | 1999
  • Korea | 1988

LANGUAGES

  • English
  • Korean

News & Publications


2020
  • Co-authored, Is Korea on its way to become a new arbitration hub for Asia? | GAR 2020 Asia-Pacific Arbitration Review Article

2017, 2018, 2019
  • Co-authored, “Litigation Funding” | Getting the Deal Through

2011 - 2014
  • Co-authored, “Investment Treaty Arbitration 2015 – Korea” | Getting the Deal Through

2012
  • Co-authored Korea Chapter in The International Arbitration Review, 3rd Edition (J. Carter, ed.) | Law Business Research

2012, 2013
  • Co-authored “Arbitration in South Korea”, The Asia-Pacific Arbitration Review | Global Arbitration Review

2012
  • Co-authored Korea Chapter in The International Arbitration Review, 3rd Edition (J. Carter, ed.) | Law Business Research

2009.12 / 2010.1
  • Co-authored “South Korea: Receptive to Foreign Arbitration Awards?” | Asian-Counsel Special Report on Dispute Resolution


2023
  • Leading Lawyer – Eminent Practitioner | Chambers Global / Chambers Asia-Pacific

2022
  • National Leader – Arbitration | Who’s Who Legal
  • Eminent Practitioner – Dispute Resolution – South Korea | Chambers Global / Chambers Asia-Pacific
  • The Top performers of Korea’s legal profession (A-List) | Asia Business Law Journal

2021
  • National Leader – Arbitration,  | Who’s Who Legal

2011 - 2021
  • Leading Individual | Chambers Asia-Pacific

2018
  • Finalist, Managing Partner of the Year | Asian Legal Business

2017 - 2018
  • Leading Individual | The Legal 500

2016
  • 2015 Lawyer of the Year — International Arbitration | The Legal Times

2011 - 2016
  • Leading Individual – Dispute Resolution – South Korea | Chambers Global / Chambers Asia-Pacific

2013
  • Asia’s Best 75 Lawyers | Asian Legal Business

2012
  • Leading Lawyer – M&A Dispute Resolution | Asian Law Profiles

2011 - 2012
  • Leading Lawyer | IFLR1000