In 2017, legal experts with extensive experience in the shipping/aviation sector joined the team from leading law firms in Korea and Australia. To this day, DR & AJU’s Shipping/Aviation Practice Group continues to provide a wide range of professional service to resolve legal disputes related to bills of lading and air waybills; letter of credit transactions; traditional maritime accidents like ship collision, fire, and sinking; loss or damage in international transport; charter contracts; ship constructions; bankruptcy of shipping/shipbuilding companies; ship financing and port affairs; and water leisure crafts.
In recognition of such specialty, DR & AJU was officially appointed as the sole domestic legal advisory group for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, a government agency in charge of marine policy, fisheries, fishing community development, marine product distribution, shipping and ports, marine environment, oceanographic survey, marine and fisheries resource development, and maritime safety, and the Korea Coast Guard, a sub-agency responsible for maritime police work and marine pollution prevention, in 2019.
Following Managing Partner Jin Han KIM’s appointment as the Bankruptcy Trustee and International Insolvency Manager of Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd. in 2017, DR & AJU was named “Shipping Law Firm of the Year” at the ALB Korea Law Awards for two consecutive years of 2017 and 2018.
Legal advice and litigation in relation to maritime accident including ship collision, fire, salvage, contamination
Legal advice and litigation in relation to international transport agreements including bill of lading, airway bill and L/C
Legal advice and litigation in relation to disputes based on charter agreement
Legal advice and litigation in relation to exercise of preferred right upon a ship and seizure of a ship
Legal advice and litigation in relation to shipping finance including shipbuilding contract, sale of a ship and marine insurance
Legal advice and litigation in relation to maritime policies including harbors, marine environment and water leisure
Legal advice and litigation in relation to workmen’s disaster compensation under the Seafarers’ Act
Legal advice and litigation in relation to aviation regulations and interpretation of aviation laws
Legal advice and litigation in relation to suspension of operation and imposition of fine from the violation of aviation laws such as aviation accident
Legal advice and litigation in relation to disputes between customers and airlines
Legal advice and litigation in relation to labor issues of airlines
Represented a shipping company in a criminal trial and a maritime safety tribunal relating to a ship collision that resulted in 15 casualties.
Represented Incheon Port Authority for the port due in a case where a fire broke out on the berthing vessel Auto Banner.
Represented the shipowner in a maritime safety tribunal and an insurance lawsuit on the case where a tugboat sunk in Yeonan Pier.
Represented the Government of South Korea in a civil lawsuit on the case where the containership Milano Bridge crashed into a gantry crane at Busan Port.
Advised Korea National Oil Corporation on violation of the Marine Environment Management Act in an oil spill accident caused by crude oil tanker Kahla.
Represented the shipowner in a criminal case where casualty was caused by a collision between water leisure crafts in Bukhan River.
Represented a large airline in a lawsuit and arbitration on damages related to an aircraft crash.
Represented in numerous litigations and arbitrations arising from various maritime transportation contracts including chartered contracts after Hanjin Shipping’s bankruptcy as its bankruptcy trustee.
Represented a bank holding bill of lading in a letter of credit claim against a shipper involved in unauthorized removal of cargo.
Represented a domestic shipping company, the charterer, in an HKAIC (International Arbitration) on charter fee claims against a Singapore shipping company.
Represented a seafarer in an accident compensation claim under the Seafarers’ Act against a shipping company, party to the Seafarers Labor Contract.
Advised a Japanese shipping company on the exercise of ship preferential privileges and the seizure of ships at domestic ports.
Advised the UK marine special security agency Ambrey Risk on permission under the Act on the Prevention of Damage to Ships, Etc. on International Voyages from Piracy.
Advised a domestic bank on the opening and transactions of a letter of credit in marine transportation.
Advised a domestic shipping company on container ship SF and charter contracts.
Advised a domestic security firm on the refund guarantee structure of advance payment using RG management account in shipbuilding.
Advised Qatar's state-owned oil tanker, Qatar Fuel, on signing a contract to purchase a domestic oil tanker.
Advised on a structured financing project between a domestic shipbuilder and a Kuwait shipping company.
Advised a domestic shipping company on ship funds.
Advised a domestic guarantee insurance company on the sale of its freight vessel.
Advised on a ship financing contract between a Korean government-run bank and a German shipping company.
Advised on collection of berth fees for users of state-owned mooring facilities outside the port area.
Advised on the subject of obligation to preserve investment expenses of a non-administrative port construction.
Advised on the sale of the building and site of Incheon Port’s Passenger Terminal 1.
Advised on port authorities’ participation in a private proposed port hinterland development project.
Advised on the implementation of technical consulting upon approval of the non-administrative port construction plan.
Advised on the adequacy of the estimate of total private investment expenses in a private investment project for ports.
Advised on various cases related to the operation of airports, appointed as an advisor to Korea Airports Corporation.
Advised a Siberian airline on the operation of its domestic branch regarding issues such as licensing, labor law, and aviation security plan compliance.
Performed tasks related to the proposal of the Water-Related Leisure Activities Safety Act by the Korea Coast Guard. (Consolidation of Ordinance, etc.)
Advised on the interpretation of the Special Act on Investigating the Truth of the April 16 Sewol Ferry Disaster and Building a Safe Society.
Advised on the application of the IMDG Code and IMSBC Code on sea freight.
Advised on Sewol Ferry Special Committee Requests.
Advised on the amendment of the Coast Guard Act in relation to the adjustment of investigative authority between prosecution and police.
Advised on the execution of payment for the maintenance of an aircraft owned by the Korea Coast Guard.
Advised on the formal approval of the ballast water treatment facility.
Advised on the delegation of designating routes outside the navigation system under the Act on the Arrival, Departure, Etc. of Ships.
Advised on the selection of an operator for the new port at Busan Port.
Advised on the amendment of the Enforcement Decree of the Ship Personnel Act.
