YOON&YANG

Mae Wha Choi Partner

TEL 82 2 6003 7545
FAX 82 2 6003 7026
E-MAIL mwchoi@hwawoo.com

Mae Wha Choi is a partner at Yoon & Yang LLC. Her main practice area is antitrust & competition.
Mae Wha represented clients in major cartel matters in various industries, such as steel, cable, automobile parts, and paper manufacturing. She has also advised and acted in disputes related to the abuse of market dominance and unfair trade practices in the IT, liquor, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and insurance industries, as well as labeling/advertising regulations in the liquor, food, electronics, and medical equipments sectors. She is also experienced in advising and representing multinational clients in cross-border business combination approval, international cartel conduct, and unfair trade practices (including the Fair Transactions in Subcontracting Act, and the Fair Agency Transactions Act).

Experience

2012-present Yoon & Yang LLC
2023-present Lecturer, Korea Fair Competition Federation
2022-present Non-Governmental Advisor, Unilateral Conduct Working Group (UCWG), International Competition Network (ICN)
2020 Secondment, Apple Korea

Education

2019 New York University School of Law, LL.M.
2012 Seoul National University School of Law, J.D.
2006 Seoul National University College of Law, LL.B.

Representative Matters

[Illegal Cartel Conduct]

Represented German and Japanese companies in a KFTC investigation and administrative proceeding in respect of illegal cartel conduct of multinational automobile parts manufacturers
Represented a Korean subsidiary of a multinational machinery parts manufacturer in a conveyor belt bid rigging
Represented Company H in a KFTC investigation in respect of monopoly and collusion within the helicopter insurance market
Represented Company K in a KFTC investigation in respect of bid rigging of property insurance of Korea Land and Housing Corporation

[Business Combination]

Advised on the business combination review in respect of Sosei Group Corporation's corporate acquisition of Swiss Idorsia’s APAC business
Advised on the business combination review in respect of the split-merger of IBM’s Global Technology Service (GTS) unit
Advised on the business combination review in respect of the stock acquisition of Hyundai Motor Company’s local branch in Turkey
Advised on the business combination review in respect of establishing a joint venture between ALD and Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance
Advised on the business combination review in respect of Microsoft’s corporate acquisition of Nokia’s mobile devices and services unit

[Abuse of Market Dominance/Unfair Trade Practices]

Advised on a KFTC investigation in respect of unfair trade practices of Merial Korea
Advised on a KFTC investigation and civil/administrative proceeding in respect of abuse of market dominance of LG Electronics

[Labeling/Advertising]

Represented Samsung Electronics in a KFTC investigation in respect of ‘QLED TV’ and its violation of the Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising
Represented HiteJinro in a Ministry of Food and Drug Safety investigation in respect of ‘TERRA’ and its violation of the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods

Publications

[Academic Papers]

Approval by the EU Commission for Amazon's self-preference conduct, Competition Journal 217, Korea Fair Competition Federation (Co-author, 2023)
Korea Chapter, Competition in Digital Markets, Lexology Getting The Deal Through, Law Business Research (Co-author, 2023)
Determination of competitive limitations in business combinations that form demand dominance: U.S. v. Bertelsmann SE & CO. KGaA, et al., Competition Journal 214, Korea Fair Competition Federation (Co-author, 2023)
Korea Chapter, Competition in Digital Markets Lexology Getting The Deal Through, Law Business Research (Co-author, 2022)
Sumal, S.L. v. Mercedes Benz Truck España, S. L., Decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Competition Journal 212, Korea Fair Competition Federation (Co-author, 2022)
Epic Games, Inc. v. Apple Inc. Decision of the United States Northern District Court of California, Competition Journal 210, Korea Fair Competition Federation (Co-author, 2022)
Restraints of trade and dominance in South Korea: Overview, Practical Law Global Guide, Thomson Reuters (Co-author, 2021)
EU Commission’s Decision to Aprove the Google-Fitbit Business Combination (Co-Author), Competition Journal 208, Korea Fair Competition Federation (Co-author, 2021)
Trends of License Disputes for Standard Essential Patents in the Automobile Industry: A Focus on the Nokia v. Daimler and Continental v. Avanci Decisions, Competition Journal 206, Korea Fair Competition Federation (Co-author, 2021)
Big Data and Market Power, LL.M. Dissertation, New York University School of Law (2019)