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The 2025 Healthcare Odyssey
Welcome to the first edition of Law Update for 2025. As we begin this exciting year, we are pleased to turn our attention to one of the most dynamic sectors in the UAE and the broader GCC region – healthcare. Over the past several years, the region has seen unprecedented growth in this sector, driven by legislative advancements, technological innovations, and the increasing focus on sustainability and AI. As such, healthcare is set to be one of the most important sectors in the coming decade.
In this issue, we explore key themes that are significantly shaping the future of healthcare in the UAE, such as recent changes in foreign ownership laws. These reforms present a major opportunity for foreign investors, opening up new avenues for international collaborations and improving the overall healthcare infrastructure. The changes in ownership laws are an important milestone, and we provide an analysis of what this means for the industry and the various players involved.
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A complete spectrum of legal services across jurisdictions in the Middle East & North Africa.
Biography
Jiwon is a senior counsel in our corporate & commercial practice; he leads the firm’s Korean Group and is well versed in cross border transactions, advising on all aspects of general corporate law, corporate restructurings, joint ventures, and project financing deals. His client base spans a number of industries and includes major Korean public companies, financial institutions, private equity funds, contractors, oil & gas corporations, healthcare companies, and defence companies.
He is also engaged day-to-day in supporting clients seeking to enter the MENA market as well as those operating and investing in the region and has extensively advised on compliance with laws and regulations in addition to providing practical commercial advice for overseas business expansion through subsidiaries, contractors and distribution agreements. Regularly working across jurisdictions in the Middle East and North Africa, Jiwon has taken part in a number of high-profile transactions and deals involving major Korean public and private companies including G2G collaborations, joint ventures, innovative structuring and cross-border M&A in the region.
Jiwon also regularly represents and advises clients dealing with conflicting demands from Korean and Middle East legal regimes. He helps Korean clients navigate dispute resolution systems in the Middle East region with his first-hand knowledge in litigating construction claims, contract disputes, commercial fraud claims and judgment enforcement actions in various jurisdictions in the region, including UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, KSA, Bahrain, Jordan, Iran and Iraq.
Jiwon previously served as deputy counsel for Korea Resources Corporation, which governs all of Korea’s overseas investment activities in natural resources, and also worked for a major Korean law firm in Seoul. A native of Korea, Jiwon is currently acting as a special legal advisor to the Korean Consulate General in Dubai and the embassies in Abu Dhabi, UAE and Doha, Qatar, and also serves on the Ministry of Justice SME Legal Advisory Board in Korea.
Recent Experience
Corporate / M&A
- POSCO in the sale of a steel fabrication plant in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
- SK Innovation in its proposed acquisition of a minority stake in ADNOC’s subsidiary.
- Hyundai Motor in its formation of business operations in the UAE and KSA.
- Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation (KT&G) in its distributorship arrangement with Alokozay in the UAE, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan and restructuring in Iran.
- POSCO E&C on the operation of an EPC JV company in KSA in conjunction with the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
- Daewoo International on its proposed joint venture to establish a car manufacturing plant with the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
- Daelim Energy through its investment in SPVs established in DIFC, targeting IPP and renewable energy projects in the region.
- Hanwha Group on its various business formations and corporate restructuring in UAE, KSA and Iraq.
Disputes
- Samsung SDS is advising Dubai Health Authority (DHA) on potential litigation before the Ruler’s Court in Dubai, as well as acting as a mediator on a final settlement with DHA.
- Hyundai Engineering & Construction on its 20+ local court proceedings before the Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Saudi Arabian, Kuwaiti and Qatari courts.
- Hyundai Heavy Industries on in a commercial agency dispute before the Abu Dhabi courts.
- SK Trading International / GS Caltex on bunker supply recovery arrangements in UAE.
- SK Engineering & Construction on enforcement of ICC arbitration award in UAE.
- Nexen Tire in its trademark dispute in KSA.
Language(s)
- English
- Korean
Education
2006 – LL.M., John Marshall Law School
2005 – J.D., Handong International Law School
2002 – B.A., Handong Global Unversity
Admission
2006 – New York, USA
Practice(s)
Country Group(s)
Insights
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