Hyundai Motor Group hires prosecutor-turned-lawyer for first time in 18 years

Kim Hyung-seok, executive director of Hyundai Motor Group‘s legal team [Photo provided by Hyundai Motor Group]

South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Group has joined others in the industry in hiring a former prosecutor for in-house legal affairs.

According to multiple sources from the automobile and legal industries on Monday, Hyundai Motor Group hired Kim Hyung-seok, a former partner at Yoon & Yang LLC, as an executive director of the conglomerate’s legal team.

Kim had previously worked for many positions at the Ministry of Justice and district courts as a prosecutor before joining the law firm in 2021.

It is the first time for Hyundai Motor Group to hire a former prosecutor in 18 years. The last time was in 2005 when its Honorary Chairman Mong-Koo Chung was leading the company. Chung hired Kim Jae-ki, a former chief prosecutor, as a standing legal advisor for high-level officials inside the company.

Industry insiders note that the unusual hiring by the conglomerate is part of its efforts to deal with potential risks for resolving legal affairs, which often involves cross-shareholding and corporate governance structures.

Hyundai Motor Group also hired a legal expert who specializes in intellectual property and exclusive patent disputes.

The move by Hyundai Motor Group follows others.

Last year, Samsung Electronics Co. hired a prosecutor-turned-lawyer formerly with Lee & Ko as a director of its legal team.

POSCO Holdings Inc. also named former Prosecutor Kim Young-jong as vice chairman of its legal team in April last year. Kim and President Yoon Suk Yeol are known to have completed the training courses at the Judicial Research and Training Institute in the same year.