DK Donghyun Kim

Of Counsel
Atlanta
About

DK Donghyun Kim is a business lawyer with an international practice focused on representing multinational corporations in connection with cross-border investments. With a decade of experience working at DLA Piper's Seoul office and San Francisco office, DK regularly represents Korea and US-based businesses with cross-border acquisitions, joint ventures, and other investments. DK also assists clients with post-investment management. The sectors involved in DK's recent transactions include automotive supply chain, manufacturing, chemical, mining, technology, energy, and construction services. He has a particular capability with complex cross-border joint ventures, supply chain acquisitions, and offtake investments involving international parties. He also advises clients on various legal and business matters, including entity formation, corporate governance, partnership matters, supply agreements, and customer contracts. He also assists clients with global regulatory and corporate compliance.

DK has been selected as the Stand-out Lawyer by Thomson Reuters (2023 – 2025). DK is also named as an "Acritas Star" for three consecutive years (2019 – 2021). DK is also ranked by Chambers Asia Pacific as the "Up and Coming" lawyer for Corporate/M&A: International Firms (2023 – 2025). A client notes DK "routinely assists with regulatory issues arising out of corporate transactions" and he is also "adept at handling outbound investments." DK is also ranked by Legal 500 Asia Pacific as the "Rising Star" for Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms (2024).  

Before joining DLA Piper, DK worked as an in-house counsel at POSCO, one of the largest steel makers in the world, focusing on cross-border investment and related disputes. DK was the recipient of "POSCO CEO's Award of Excellence" and "Legal Affairs Dept. EVP's Award of Excellence." DK served as a judge advocate in the Republic of Korea's Navy and Marine Corp. Before he joined the military, he worked at the Korean Government Legal Service firm advising government agencies and state-owned entities in connection with cross-border transactions, foreign direct investments, and general corporate matters.

Areas of FocusCorporateMergers and AcquisitionsPublic Company and Corporate GovernanceTechnology and Commercial Transactions
Bar AdmissionsCaliforniaDistrict of ColumbiaGeorgia
CourtsUnited States District Court for the Northern District of California

EXPERIENCE

  • A Korean steel manufacturer with a joint venture with a Mexican steel manufacturer to produce high grade steel products
  • A major Korean private equity fund with the purchase of a minority share in automotive parts manufacturer in the US
  • A major Korean private equity fund with the purchase of a flooring parts manufacturing entity in the US
  • A Korean electronics manufacturer with a strategic investment into a US-based self-driving technology/semiconductor manufacturer
  • A Korean automobile manufacturer with a strategic investment into a Canadian AI chip manufacturer
  • LG Chem with two joint ventures with Archer-Daniels-Midland to manufacture PLA Polymer products in the US
  • POSCO with a joint venture with the Ravensthorpe Nickel Operation for the nickel mine in Australia for US$240 million to boost its electric vehicle battery business in 2021
  • POSCO International with the AUD$860 million acquisition of a public Australian gas producer Senex Energy in Australia
  • A major Korean steel maker with a joint development of lithium solid-state batteries with a Taiwanese battery manufacturer
  • A major Korean automobile manufacturer with the acquisition of an electric vehicle manufacturer in the UK
  • A major steelmaker with corporate matters in relation to its investment in an iron ore mine in Canada and Australia
  • A Korean heavy equipment manufacturer with the sale of 9.5 MW and 6 MW solar farms in Romania
  • A Korean electronics manufacturer with the restructuring of their mobile communications business in Europe
 
Languages
  • English
  • Korean

Awards

Chambers Global

  • Spotlight Table Expert Based Abroad, Energy & Natural Resources, (2025)
  • Spotlight Table, Dispute Resolution, International Firms, (2024 – 2025)
  • Up and Coming, Corporate/M&A, International Firms, (2023 – 2025)
  • Associate to Watch, Dispute Resolution, International Firms, (2018 – 2023)
  • Associate to Watch, Corporate/M&A, International Firms, (2022)

Chambers Asia Pacific

  • Up and Coming, Dispute Resolution, International Firms, (2025)
  • Up and Coming, Corporate/M&A, International Firms, (2023 – 2025)
    Clients say, "DK routinely assists with regulatory issues arising out of corporate transactions, and he is also adept at handling outbound investments."
  • Associate to Watch, Dispute Resolution, International Firms, (2018 – 2024)
  • Associate to Watch, Corporate/M&A, International Firms, (2022)

Legal 500 Asia Pacific

  • Rising Star, Corporate and M&A, Foreign Firms, (2024)
Additional Recognitions
  • Top Foreign Lawyer in Korea, Law Times Law Firm Consumer Report, (2025)
  • Stand-Out Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, (2023 – 2025)
  • Acritas Star, Acritas, (2019 – 2021)
Education
  • J.D., Whittier College School of Law
  • B.F.A., The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • Certificate, International Finance: Policy, Regulation, and Transactions, Harvard Law School Executive Education, 2023

Publications

Seminars

  • "Mining M&A and joint venture key issues"
  • "Investing into the US: Introduction to CFIUS and FIRRMA," Korea In-House Counsel Association, Korean Bar Association
  • "Key issues in international equity joint ventures"
  • "Managing risks in M&A transactions"
  • "Mining Investment 101"
  • "Post-Merger Integration"

Qualifications

  • Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation for the Federation of Law Societies of Canada

Memberships

  • Director, The International Association of Korean Lawyers (IAKL)
  • Chairperson, Young Lawyers Committee, The International Association of Korean Lawyers

My latest insights

News

DLA Piper advises on AUD860 million proposed acquisition

17 December 2021 .3 minute read

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Connect

Phone

+1 404 736 7799
(Work, Atlanta)
+ 1 770 401 5353
(Mobile)
+82 (0)10 2817 6669
(Korea Mobile)