INTERVIEW 'When in Korea, don't do as bad Koreans do'
Hwang Ju-myung speaks during a recent interview with The Korea Times at his office in central Seoul. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
By Jung Min-ho
For everyone who wants to do business in Korea, it is important and encouraged to conform to its culture and customs. But do not misinterpret the message: what is wrong is still wrong even though some locals do it.
Throughout his career, Hwang Ju-myung, 78, chairman of HMP Law, a Seoul-based law firm, has met many foreign clients who asked him to resolve their legal issues as quickly as possible ― even if that means using “Korean-style” expedients.
“When they make such a demand, the excuse they always give is the saying, ‘When in Rome, do as Romans do.’ But I disagree. I think they should stick to the basic spirit and principles of the law here just like they have to in their own countries,” he said.
The former judge thinks foreign businessmen, many of whom are his clients, often give in to such temptation for two main reasons.
First, they are eager to achieve good results during their short stints here ― and many lawyers are willing to help by any means possible.
“But not everything is possible,” Hwang said. “Good lawyers should be able to evaluate cases and tell their clients what they honestly think instead of saying what clients want to hear.
“Some cases and methods are not worth the cost, time and risk … I tell my lawyers to serve clients as best as they can, but only in honest ways.”
Over the past century, Korea has quickly matured in terms of practicing and respecting the law. But there are still problems.
In addition to the “yes culture” in the industry, another serious problem to solve is conflict of interest, in which, for example, one law firm takes cases to defend both parties. It is more common in cases involving foreigners, Hwang noted.
“The issue started occurring because it was difficult to find Korean lawyers who could speak English well many years ago,” he said. “Times have changed, but it remains unsolved even in 2018.
“The opacity of legal information about many things such as law firms and court rulings is one of the big factors that block Korea from rectifying the issue. I believe that for the country to take one more step forward, the government should open more information to everyone like many other developed countries do.”
After graduating from Seoul National University, Hwang started his judicial career in 1961. Like today, it was a typical career path for the brightest students.
What got him off the typical path was a political event he experienced in the United States.
Sponsored by the Korean government, Hwang had an opportunity to study there in 1974. On the first day he arrived at George Washington University in Washington D.C., then-President Richard Nixon delivered his resignation speech over the Watergate scandal.
“Korea was under the military dictatorship at that time. I was extremely shocked that even a president can resign over a wiretap scandal in the United States,” Hwang said.
The event altered the whole trajectory of his life. He left the court, which he recalls was not free from the government’s strong grip.
After working for the Korea National Oil Corporation, Daewoo and law firms, he established HMP Law in 1993 with 10 other lawyers. Since then, it has grown to be one of Korea’s most-trusted law firms.