Mr. Woorin SUNG is a partner at D&A LLC. His practice is primarily focused on Shipping & Aviation, International, General Civil Disputes, Corporate, National Defense, Blockchain, and Ship Finance.
After graduating from Korea Maritime & Ocean University with a degree in Navigation Science, Mr. Sung joined STX Pan Ocean in 2008 and, for three years, embarked on various types of merchant vessels, such as cargo ships, container ships, and oil tankers. He is one of the few attorneys in Korea with experience as a marine navigator, and his strengths lie in cases involving maritime accidents, such as the sinking of vessels, ship fires, and ship collisions, and subsequent post-accident measures, dispute cases arising from charter contracts, shipping contracts, and bills of lading, and maritime insurance.
Prior to obtaining his law license, he was a legal intern at London-based maritime law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP and New York law firm Kim & Bae PC. After obtaining his law license in 2015, he worked as an associate at HMP Law. Currently, at D&A LLC, he represents both domestic and foreign clients in a range of areas such as Shipping & Aviation, General Civil Disputes, Commercial, Criminal Defense Litigation, Administrative Procedure & Litigation, Construction & Real Estate, Labor & Industrial Accident Investigations, Maritime Arbitration, and general corporate advisory and litigation.
With his extensive experience and expertise, Mr. Sung has served as legal counsel to various public institutions, including the Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology (KIAST), the Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC), and the Korea Power Exchange (KPX). He has also served as a public interest member of the Shipping Industry Committee—an industry-specific committee under the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC), a presidential advisory body—and as legal advisor to the Korea Coast Guard (KCG). Currently, he serves as legal advisor and policy advisory committee member for the Shipping and Logistics Bureau of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), legal advisor to the Korea Shipowners’ Association, legal counsel to Korea’s three major port authorities—Busan Port Authority (BPA), Incheon Port Authority (IPA), and Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority (YGPA)—and legal counsel to Guri City in Gyeonggi Province.
Furthermore, Mr. Sung was named Lawyer of the Year in Shipping by Legal Times, a leading domestic legal publication, in both 2020 and 2022. In 2022, he was also recognized as one of the “Rising Stars 100,” a ranking of the top 100 attorneys under the age of 45. In 2024 and 2025, Mr. Sung was honored as a top lawyer for two consecutive years in the “Korea Law Firms Consumer Report,” published by Law Times. This report is based on a legal service satisfaction survey conducted among in-house legal teams of major domestic corporations. In addition, he was selected as a Recommended Lawyer for Shipping (South Korea) by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, a UK-based global law firm directory.
Represented a shipping company in investigations, criminal litigations, and maritime safety inquiries involving a case in which 15 casualties resulted from the collision of the 336-ton tanker Myeongjin-15 and a fishing boat
Represented Incheon Port Authority in a lawsuit over the payment of port facility usage fee in a case involving the ship fire incident on the Auto Banner docked at Incheon Port
Represented a shipowner in maritime safety inquiries involving a sinking of a tug-boat moored in the Yeonan Pier in Incheon
Represented the bereaved family members of victims of the cargo ship Samsung NO.1, which sank near Wando County, in litigation for damages caused by illegal activities of the shipowner, etc.
Represented the Korean government in litigation involving the collision of a container ship Milano Bridge with a crane at Busan Port
Consulted the Korea National Oil Corporation, which managed loading and discharging facilities, in a case involving an oil spill by the oiler Kahla
Represented a shipowner in criminal litigation involving injuries caused by the collision of water sports vehicles in the Bukhan River
Represented the bereaved family members of victims of the Kyoto 1, which sank in the Taiwan Strait, in a damage suit against the shipowner in the U.A.E.
[Cases involving charter contracts and other maritime and air transport contracts (Dry Case)]
Represented Woori Bank, the holder of the bill of lading, in litigation on a claim for payment under a letter of credit against a shipper who had transported sea freight without permission
Represented a charterer (a domestic shipping company) in Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (HKIAC) on a claim for charterage against a shipping company in Singapore
Represented a seafarer in litigation on a claim for accident compensation under the Seafarers’ Act against the shipping company that is a party to the seafarer labor contract
Represented and consulted a Japanese shipping company on the priority rights upon ships and seizure of ships in domestic ports
Represented and consulted Ambrey Risk, a British maritime security company, on permission under the domestic Act on the Prevention of Damage to Ships on International Voyages from Piracy
Consulted a domestic bank on the opening of an import letter of credit and transaction in the maritime transportation
Provided legal advice on a vessel purchase agreement with a shipowner in Greece for the introduction of a cruise ship to Korea
[Consultation on ship or aircraft financing]
Advised on structuring ship financing agreements for the Turtle Ship Fund, a private capital-based fund for constructing patrol vessels for the Korea Coast Guard
Advised on structuring ship financing contracts for the National Treasury Passenger Ship Fund, a fund for constructing new vessels to replace aging passenger ships and reserve vessels operating on government-subsidized routes
Advised a domestic securities company on the structure of advance refund guarantees using RG management accounts in connection with shipbuilding
Represented and advised Qatar Fuel, a Qatari state-owned shipping company, on entering into a purchase agreement for an oil tanker owned by a domestic shipping company
[Cases involving port management and port authorities]
Represented Busan Port Authority in a petition for provisional disposition for suspension of bidding procedures related to the harbor hinterland complex development project of Busan New Port near Mt. Yokmang
Represented Incheon Port Authority in litigation involving the collection of anchorage fees for users of national mooring facilities outside port areas
Represented Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority in litigation involving the fees for indirect occupancy of the dolphin facility
Consulted on the subject of the duty to preserve investment costs of a non-management port authority
Consulted on the sale of buildings and sites of a passenger terminal of Incheon Port
Consulted on the participation of a port authority in a harbor hinterland complex development project proposed by the private sector
Consulted on implementation of technical advice when approving an implementation plan of a non-management authority
Consulted on the appropriateness of the calculation of private investment expenses in private investment projects on ports
[Consultation on the implementation of policies by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Coast Guard]
Consulted on the Special Act on Investigating the Truth of the April 16 Sewol Ferry Disaster and Building a Safe Society
Consulted on the application of IMDG Code and IMSBC Code for sea freight
Consulted on requests from the Sewol Ferry Special Investigation Committee
Consulted on the amendment of the Coast Guard Act concerning the adjustment of the investigative authority between the prosecution and police
Consulted on the execution of maintenance payments for aircraft owned by the Korea Coast Guard
Consulted on type approval of ballast water treatment systems
Consulted on the delegation of designation of sea lanes outside the port limit under the Act on the Arrival, Departure, etc. of Ships
Consulted on the selection of the operator for the Busan New Port
Consulted on the amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Ship Officers Act
Represented the franchise headquarters of Hanam F&B in civil litigation involving the violation of the Fair Transactions in Franchise Business Act
Represented Monalisa Co., Ltd, a domestic manufacturer of sanitary papers, in patent litigation, including a trial to invalidate trademark registration
Represented Ssangyong C&B Inc., a face mask manufacturer, in litigation concerning the unpaid product payment
Represented a client in criminal litigation concerning embezzlement at the MG Community Credit Cooperative
Carried out a lawsuit for revocation of dismissal of a high-ranking official of the Korea Coast Guard in connection with the sinking of the Sewol Ferry
Represented Korea Western Power Co., Ltd. in arbitration on penalty for delay related to the supply contract of Taean Thermal Power Plant
Advised Skinidea, a leading K-beauty company, on contracts related to overseas cosmetics exports and marketing
Chambers & Partners Global Shipping Guide 2026 (South Korea), Co-author (2026)
Getting the Deal Through - Port and Terminal 2024 (Korean Chapter), Lexology (2024)
Legal Issues Related To The Acquisition Of Wind Turbine Installation Vessels In Korea, Mondaq (2023)
Getting the Deal Through - Port and Terminal 2023 (Korean Chapter), Lexology (2023)
Getting the Deal Through - Port and Terminal 2022 (Korean Chapter), Lexology (2022)
Ship Arrests And Maritime Liens In South Korea, Mondaq (2021)
A Study on Legal Issues Concerning Floating Cities, Journal of Korean Maritime Police Science. Vol. 13, No. 2. (Corresponding author)
Study on Improving the Seafood Self-Help Fund System (Lead Researcher and Co-author)
Research Services for Legal Reforms Regarding Search and Rescue Laws, Including the Enactment of the Private Rescue Act, Etc. (Lead Researcher and Co-author)
Research Services on the Legal Reforms of the Water-related Leisure Activities Safety Act (I, II) (Lead Researcher and Co-author)
