Young-Hwan KWON

Introduction

Young Hwan Kwon is a highly respected attorney at Jipyong, specialising in labour and employment law, industrial accident compensation, occupational safety and ESG compliance. With more than 20 years of experience, he is widely recognised for his ability to provide practical, insightful and legally sound solutions tailored to the needs of both corporate and public sector clients.

Kwon began his career in 2002 after passing the certified public labour attorney examination. Before becoming a lawyer, he worked at a labour union, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in labour relations. This background has shaped him into a well-prepared labour attorney with a deep understanding of both union operations and corporate HR practices. His clients consistently praise his ability to combine sharp legal analysis with a practical approach, resulting in high satisfaction and effective outcomes.

From 2014 to 2016, Kwon served as a law clerk at the Seoul High Court, where he contributed to landmark rulings on key labour issues such as employee status, ordinary wages, illegal dispatch, working time exemptions, and unfair labour practices. As a litigator, he has led numerous successful cases before the Supreme Court, including reversals and remands in disputes involving illegal dispatch, disciplinary actions and wage claims. He has also secured favourable outcomes in criminal labour cases involving violations of the Labour Standards Act, the Act on the Protection of Temporary Agency Workers, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Kwon is a contributing author to several authoritative legal commentaries, including the Commentary on the Trade Union Act published by the Supreme Court’s Labour Law Practice Research Group, and online annotations of the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act and Occupational Safety and Health Act published by Law&B. He regularly contributes expert columns to the Lawwave, focusing on serious accidents, workplace safety, and labour law.

In 2021, he earned an LLM in international human rights law from Leiden University, Netherlands, focusing on EU corporate human rights due diligence. He currently serves as a human rights management adviser for public institutions, further establishing his role as a trusted ESG legal expert.