Main Practice Areas: Real Estate, Finance, Trust, M&A, Corporate Law, Overseas Investment and International Tax, and other cross-border legal matters

T. 02-565-9801 F. 02-565-9887   E. siahn@lkpartner.co.kr

Profile

Attorney Sang-Il Ahn is an expert in real estate, finance, and M&A. After graduating from Seoul National University's Department of Economics, he worked as a Certified Public Accountant at Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC Korea) for two and a half years from 2006, performing real estate feasibility studies, M&A valuations, and financial audits. He then attended Yonsei University Law School and worked as a specialized attorney in the Real Estate Financing & Transaction Team, Finance, and M&A divisions at Kim & Chang for over 10 years from 2012 to 2022. He has also served as an executive at asset management and investment advisory companies.

Attorney Ahn's main client base includes major domestic and international investment institutions, securities companies, trust companies, asset management companies, investment advisory firms, project developers, construction companies, and large-scale retailers. As the leader of LK Partners' Real Estate, Finance, and M&A divisions, he has earned the trust of a wide range of clients through his honest and amicable character, along with his solid and diligent expertise that gets to the heart of matters.

Attorney Ahn is an integrated expert who holds not only a Korean attorney license but also Korean CPA (KICPA) and California State Bar qualifications. He oversees cross-border matters such as international business, overseas investment, international tax and litigation, and overseas asset inheritance and gifts.

Education

- Seoul National University (B.A., Economics and Law (minor), 2006)

- Yonsei University Law School (J.D., 2012)

- University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Visiting Scholar, 2019)

Qualifications

- Attorney, Republic of Korea (2012)

- Attorney, State of California, USA (2019)

- Certified Public Accountant, Republic of Korea (2005)

- Licensed Real Estate Agent, Republic of Korea (2017)

- Urban Renewal Project Management Specialist (2024)

Career

- Attorney at Kim & Chang (2012~2022)

- Certified Public Accountant at Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers (2006~2009)

- Director at Cobalt Investment Co., Ltd.

- Member of Chungcheongnam-do Local Tax Deliberation Committee

- Managing Partner at LK Partners Law Firm

- E.M.HWANG & PARTNERS IP Law Firm, Legal Counsel (Present)

Major Practice Examples

- Advisory on numerous large-scale logistics center and logistics complex development projects including Yongin Pogok Logistics Complex and Yongin Baekbong-ri Logistics Center; large-scale data center development projects including an 80MW data center in Ansan Sihwa Industrial Complex and a 120MW data center in Incheon; Incheon Songdo Homeplus development project; LNG power plant development in Tongyeong; Busan Myeongji District development; numerous high-end residential development projects in Gangnam district; large hotel transactions and development advisory in Seoul; and development project advisory for numerous real estate properties located domestically and internationally, including data centers (DC), logistics centers, industrial complex land, land in real estate transaction permit zones, factories, power plants, and large-scale residential complexes

- Advisory on numerous real estate transactions and major lease agreements, including logistics centers in Incheon Wonchang-dong and Gyeonggi Icheon, Nam Cheongna Logistics Center physical transactions, and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance office buildings in Seoul and Incheon

- Advisory on housing development projects including public-support private rental housing development in Busan Oncheon-dong, elderly care facility development in Incheon, acquisition of rental housing development project companies, and Incheon Dongchun District 2 residential development

- Advisory on urban renewal projects including Suseo Shindonga Apartment reconstruction project, Noryangjin Bondong Shindonga Apartment reconstruction project, and Bucheon Goean 3D District redevelopment project

- Advisory on numerous structured finance and project financing deals, establishment/formation and operation of real estate investment vehicles such as PFVs/real estate funds/REITs, corporate finance, and loan-related matters

- Advisory on major large-scale land development projects including corporate innovation park development, urban development projects, and logistics complex and industrial complex development projects

- Advisory on numerous outbound investment transactions including Amazon logistics center development in the UK, large office building acquisition in New York, and REIT securities acquisition based on hotel assets across the United States

- Advisory on numerous large-scale M&A transactions including MBK Partners' acquisition of Homeplus, Lazard Group LLC's acquisition of Lazard Korea shares, SRS Korea's sale of Burger King business division, sale of Loen Entertainment (now Kakao Entertainment), and Han & Company's acquisition of a large food company

- Due diligence and transaction structure advisory for ESR Kendall Square REIT listing

- Representation in major large-scale real estate-related litigation including litigation between the developer and contractor (Tier 1) regarding basement design/construction errors and resulting increased construction costs at Ulsan Up Square Shopping Mall (Ulsan's largest shopping complex in Samsan-dong), large-scale damages litigation related to the Bundang Seoyoung Building fire accident, and civil and criminal litigation related to fire accidents at Hwado Homeplus Logistics Center and Yangji SLC Logistics Center

Languages

Korean, English