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No Referral to Prosecution (No Charges Filed)Crypto
No-Charge Decision in Alleged Unregistered Virtual Asset Business Case Related to Crypto Referral Activities
The client was an individual engaged in a cryptocurrency exchange referral (affiliate marketing) program when they unexpectedly became involved in a criminal investigation. The complainant had been recruited through an investment scam group’s so-called “trading signal room” and was encouraged to participate in copy trading on an overseas cryptocurrency exchange. In the course of this process, the complainant transferred approximately KRW 80 million to the client’s account for the purpose of purchasing virtual assets. After suffering investment losses, the complainant filed a criminal complaint alleging that the client was both a co-conspirator in an investment fraud scheme and an unregistered Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in violation of the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information of Korea (the “Specified Financial Information Act”).
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Drafting and Review of the Shareholders’ AgreementCross-border · Dispute Resolution
Investment at the Incorporation Stage, Key Considerations in Drafting a Shareholders’ Agreement
The client was a prospective founder preparing to establish a new company and secured a total investment of KRW 100 million from a personal acquaintance. While welcoming the investment, the client was concerned that the investor might later interfere excessively in management matters or slow down decision-making simply by virtue of being a shareholder. To address these concerns, Decent Law Firm’s Corporate Advisory Team was engaged to advise on the drafting of a Shareholders’ Agreement and a Share Subscription Agreement, with a focus on protecting management control and preventing future disputes.
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Full Grant of the Attachment and Collection OrdersCrypto
Successful Debt Enforcement Case Through Parallel Crypto Asset and Monetary Seizure
The client obtained a favorable judgment in a civil lawsuit against the debtor. While there were no issues with the judgment itself, the client encountered significant difficulties at the enforcement stage. The debtor’s assets were not held in readily identifiable forms such as bank deposits or real estate. Instead, the debtor was presumed to hold assets primarily in cryptocurrency maintained through virtual asset exchanges. Faced with uncertainty as to whether cryptocurrency could be subject to compulsory enforcement, and whether recovery could realistically be achieved through virtual assets alone, the client sought post-judgment enforcement assistance from Decent Law Firm’s Virtual Asset Practice Group.
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Proof of Claim Filed in U.S. Bankruptcy ProceedingsCross-border · Dispute Resolution
Attorney Advisory Case on Filing Proof of Claim in U.S. Bankruptcy Proceedings
The client invested a substantial amount through an overseas platform in a U.S.-based corporation. Subsequently, the corporation experienced financial distress and filed for reorganization under the U.S. federal bankruptcy system, making the recovery of the investment uncertain. A key complication was that multiple affiliated entities within the same corporate group filed separate bankruptcy petitions under different case numbers. As a result, identifying the correct contracting party and determining which legal entity should be designated as the debtor for purposes of filing a proof of claim became the central issue. Specifically, the client faced uncertainty regarding which debtor entity to name and how to structure the claim in order to secure a favorable position in the distribution priority.
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Revised English-Language License Agreement DeliveredCross-border · Dispute Resolution
Legal Review of an International Brand License Agreement
The client was preparing to enter into a license agreement with a well-known international brand and sought a thorough legal review to identify potential dispute risks and structural vulnerabilities, even in provisions that appeared acceptable on their face. In particular, the client required legal assessment of issues directly affecting the commercial structure of the agreement, including the removal of automatic royalty increase clauses and the adjustment of the minimum guarantee (MG). Given the significant impact of these provisions on profitability, the matter required more than simple wording changes and called for a comprehensive understanding of international licensing frameworks. Accordingly, the client engaged Decent Law Firm, which has extensive experience in international brand licensing and cross-border contracts, to provide practical legal advice that could be immediately utilized during negotiations.
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Two Years’ ImprisonmentCriminal
Voice Phishing Fraud Complaint Leading to a Prison Sentence
The client had been steadily repaying the remaining balance of an existing loan from a savings bank and was searching for refinancing options with lower interest rates through an online financial platform. During this process, the client was contacted by individuals impersonating bank employees, who falsely claimed that the client was eligible for a low-interest loan refinancing program. The perpetrators sent convincingly fabricated loan approval notices and payment confirmation documents to gain the client’s trust. They then pressured the client by claiming that the existing loan repayment violated regulations and demanded that cash be delivered to a purported Financial Supervisory Service officer, or that “insurance fees” were required to improve the client’s credit score. As a result, over a period of just five days, the client handed over a total of KRW 44 million in cash across four separate transactions. After realizing that the application installed on the client’s phone was fraudulent, the client sought legal assistance from Decent Law Firm.
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Judgment in Favor of the PlaintiffCivil
Successful Appeal Judgment in an Investment Dispute – Claim for Contractual Payment
The client (plaintiff) invested KRW 500 million through a company he represented into another company that was effectively operated by the defendant. Subsequently, circumstances emerged indicating that the investment funds were used in a manner inconsistent with the originally agreed business purpose. As a result, the client and the defendant entered into a separate personal agreement, distinct from the corporate investment arrangement. Under this agreement, the defendant personally agreed to repay the KRW 500 million to the client, expressly clarifying that the obligation was not a company-level issue but a personal debt of the defendant. The parties executed a loan agreement, and to secure the defendant’s repayment obligation, the defendant agreed to establish a pledge over shares he owned in another company. Despite the agreed repayment deadline passing, the defendant failed to repay the funds. The client prevailed at the first-instance trial on the contractual payment claim. The defendant then appealed, raising complex legal arguments in an attempt to overturn the judgment.
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Judgment in Favor of the PlaintiffCivil
Successful Claim for Damages Arising from a Health Supplement Supply Agreement
The client, Company A, is a business that develops and sells health supplement products in collaboration with YouTube creators. For the launch of a new product, the client entered into a supply agreement with a food manufacturer for the production and delivery of approximately 20,000 units of a protein snack. The contract clearly specified key nutritional requirements: 11g of protein and 0g of sugar per serving. These specifications formed the core concept of the product and were central to the planned marketing and sales strategy, which emphasized a “high-protein, zero-sugar” profile. However, independent nutritional testing commissioned by the client revealed that the delivered products significantly deviated from the agreed specifications. The actual protein content was approximately 7g, and sugar content of 7–8g was detected. Despite this discrepancy, the manufacturer denied responsibility, submitting its own test report and insisting that the products complied with contractual obligations. As a result, the product’s core marketing concept collapsed, making normal sales virtually impossible. Nevertheless, the manufacturer attempted to avoid liability by arguing that the products had been delivered as agreed. Faced with substantial losses caused by this contractual breach, the client decided to pursue a damages claim and sought legal representation from Decent Law Firm.
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Provision of a Personal Data Collection and Use NoticeCorporate & Biz
Advisory Case on Drafting Personal Data Collection Notices for YouTube Marketing Videos
As YouTube has evolved beyond a content platform into a key channel driving phone, text, and messenger-based inquiries, legal inquiries regarding compliance with personal data protection laws have increased rapidly among channel operators and marketing agencies. The Corporate Legal Team at Decent Law Firm represented the CEO of a marketing agency operating multiple YouTube channels. The engagement involved reviewing the legal structure of personal data collection and use arising from YouTube marketing videos, and designing a standardized Personal Data Collection and Use Notice (Disclaimer) to be posted in video descriptions and pinned comments. The core issue was whether legal responsibility could extend to the channel operator, even when the operator does not directly collect or manage personal data, but viewers initiate contact during the inquiry process.
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Complete Victory on All ClaimsCivil
Full Victory in a Deposit Return Lawsuit Involving a “Jeonse Trap” Property
The client entered into a residential lease agreement with a deposit of KRW 100 million. During the lease term, the client was unexpectedly informed that the property had been placed under foreclosure due to the landlord’s excessive debts. The client promptly filed a claim for distribution in the auction proceedings and recovered approximately KRW 34 million. However, the remaining KRW 66 million of the security deposit was at serious risk of being unrecoverable. The landlord became unresponsive and showed no intention of repaying the outstanding balance. Faced with the imminent loss of a substantial portion of the deposit, the client sought legal assistance from Decent Law Firm, which has extensive experience in deposit recovery and jeonse fraud litigation.
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Sentence: 7 Years’ ImprisonmentCrypto
Successful Prosecution of Cryptocurrency Fraud
The victims were persuaded to invest based on the defendant’s representations that “a listing on a major exchange was imminent” and “high returns were guaranteed within a short period of time.” The defendant falsely claimed that institutional investment had already been secured and that the project’s development was substantially complete. These statements were later revealed to be entirely fabricated and intended solely to induce investment. The investigation confirmed that there was, in fact, no concrete cryptocurrency development or exchange listing plan in place. The invested funds were not used for any legitimate business purposes but were instead diverted for the defendant’s personal use or to pay returns to earlier investors—constituting a classic Ponzi scheme. Although the victims initially hesitated to pursue legal action out of concern that their losses might be dismissed as ordinary investment risk, Decent Law Firm’s Digital Asset Practice Group determined that the matter constituted criminal fraud rather than a mere investment failure. Acting on this assessment, the firm represented the victims in filing a criminal complaint.
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Judgment in Full Favor of the PlaintiffCivil
Successful Civil Damages Claim in a Voice Phishing Case
The client was a victim of a voice phishing (financial fraud) scheme and suffered financial losses of approximately KRW 50 million. The crime followed a typical structure in which a third party provided their bank account, through which the fraud proceeds were transferred and misappropriated. Immediately after the funds were deposited, they were repeatedly withdrawn, resulting in substantial and irrecoverable financial damage to the client. Although criminal proceedings were underway, the client determined that relying solely on the criminal case would be insufficient for actual recovery of damages. Accordingly, the client decided to pursue a civil lawsuit for monetary compensation and sought legal representation from Decent Law Firm.
