Inaugural Korea Law Center Scholars

We are thrilled to announce our inaugural Korea Law Center Scholars, incoming J.D. students Shawn Kim and Anna Nahm!

Earlier this year, we launched the Korea Law Center Scholars Program, an initiative that supports outstanding incoming law students who are passionate about strengthening U.S.-Korean legal relations. This program is designed to empower a new generation of legal leaders committed to serve the Korean American community and tackling critical issues at the intersection of U.S. and Korean law.

Shawn Kim is an incoming UC Irvine School of Law student with interests in corporate and financial law, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, antitrust, and international trade law. Shawn earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration through the World Bachelor's in Business program, completing his studies at the University of Southern California, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Bocconi University.

Anna Nahm is an incoming UC Irvine School of Law student with interests in corporate law and community service. Anna graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology in 2024, and has since worked at Project 26 Pennsylvania to Get Out The (College Student) Vote, The Libi Project as culinary creative social media consultant, and Work In Progress as a barista.

Please join us in celebrating Anna Nahm and Shawn Kim as they begin this exciting journey. We can't wait to see the impact they will make at UC Irvine Law and beyond.

Research Fellow Alumni Spotlight:

Betty Kim

Betty Heeso Kim is a 2021 graduate of UC Irvine Law School and a managing associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP. Betty represents clients in pre-litigation, court, and arbitration matters, focusing on disputes involving cybersecurity, privacy, and the First Amendment. She has successfully resolved over a dozen class and individual data breach actions nationwide.  

During law school, Betty was a judicial extern for the Hon. Richard Lee in Orange County Superior Court, an executive board member of APALSA (Asian Pacific American Law Students Association), and the Vice President of Women in Tech Law. Since graduating, Betty has been a board member of APAWLA (Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance), where she currently serves as Vice President of Programming, working to advance the inclusion and empowerment of Asian Pacific American women in the legal profession.

Betty joined the Korea Law Center as a Research Fellow in 2019. Having immigrated to the United States at a young age, Betty sought opportunities to stay connected with the Korean community and deepen her understanding of the Korean legal system. The Korea Law Center provided the perfect platform, where Betty assisted with legal research for visiting Korean judges and policymakers and helped organize events, such as the annual Chuseok celebration and a visit to The Broad in Downtown Los Angeles. One of her favorite memories of the Korea Law Center was organizing a celebration event for the ten-year anniversary event for Judge Lee’s appointment to the bench. Grateful for and inspired by the Korea Law Center’s initiatives that promote community, diversity, and mentorship, Betty looks forward to continuing to support meaningful events for visiting scholars, students, and the broader legal communities of Los Angeles and Orange County through her work with the Korea Law Center and APAWLA.

Visiting Scholar Swearing In Ceremony

Left: Yeonuk Son with the Honorable Judge Fred Slaughter after being sworn in.

Right: Yeonuk Son and her family at the Honorable Judge Fred Slaughter's bench.

On June 11, 2025, Visiting Scholar Yeonuk Son, Senior Legal Counsel at the Global Legal Team of Samsung Electronics Korea Headquarters, was officially sworn in as a U.S. attorney by the Honorable Judge Fred Slaughter.

Judge Slaughter is a Federal District Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California and is a member of the UC Irvine Law Board of Visitors. Earlier this year, Yeonuk successfully passed the Illinois State Bar, earning her U.S. law license.

A special thank you to Hon. Judge Slaughter and congratulations Yeonuk on this outstanding achievement!

Visiting Scholar Spotlight:

Seiin Suh

Seiin Suh is a Constitutional Rapporteur Judge at the Constitutional Court of Korea. As a Visiting Scholar at UC Irvine Law, Seiin is conducting research on biodiversity litigation. Climate change inevitably effects biodiversity, and climate litigation is now expanding into the realm of biodiversity litigation. This evolving area raises a host of compelling issues, including whether nature can be recognized as a subject of rights, and what types of fundamental rights violations must be asserted in order to bring human rights based biodiversity claims.

Though Seiin has lived in the U.S. before, this is her first time living in California. She finds Irvine to be a particularly charming city, noting that even the scent of the grass in the fresh air feels special. She adds, "The cool mornings and evenings, along with the dry air, make even the midday heat feel enjoyable." These days, she enjoys evening walks with her family, enjoying the air and smells of nature.

Shawn Kim in South Korea this summer.

Below is an essay written by inaugural KLC Scholar and incoming UC Irvine Law student, Shawn Kim (class of 2028), sharing his observations and reflections about the South Korean Presidential Election.

A Korean American in Seoul: Presidential Election 2025

by Shawn Kim

Divisive. Pivotal. Historic. These are some of the words used by the news media to describe the significance of the South Korean 2025 presidential election.

In the days leading up to the election, Seoul was visibly marked by campaign posters and banners, yet public displays of emotion or enthusiasm were minimal. Aside from campaign workers positioned at large streets and intersections with trucks playing parodied versions of old pop songs in support of their candidate, everyday life continued largely undisturbed. There were no visible rallies, car honks, flags, or campaign apparel that are so often seen during U.S. elections. Campaigners were mostly treated as a part of the urban landscape — acknowledged briefly, then passed by.

Yet beneath the surface, the public was far from indifferent. Despite restaurants and cafés remaining open and Election Day being a public holiday, Seoul was surprisingly quiet throughout the day. For the first time since my arrival in Seoul, the weight of the June 3 election was truly palpable. Yet the atmosphere remained calm and reflective, not tense. Voter turnout was later revealed to have reached 79.4%, the highest since 1997.

The next day, Seoul quickly returned to its usual pace. Campaign materials were swiftly removed, except for a few banners of the winning candidate, Lee Jae-myung. Notably absent were post-election protests, allegations of fraud, or celebratory demonstrations that have become somewhat familiar in recent U.S. election cycles. Defeated candidates and their parties, including the People Power Party and Reform Party, conceded quietly and congratulated the new 14th president of South Korea.

Even for a culture that traditionally values restraint and neutrality, the quiet following such a contentious political event was unexpected. Perhaps this was due to the government's increased efforts to maintain order following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. Or this was a pendulum swinging back, as the public was and continues to be fatigued from the intense and prolonged protests during the impeachment process earlier this year.

While the presidential election underscored the deep ideological divisions that continue to remain in South Korea, the peaceful conduct and quiet aftermath seems to indicate the public’s desire for a return to normalcy and a collective desire across partisan ties for stability after months of intense political upheaval.

Anna Nahm at the Food is Power community bake sale in Orange County.

Below is an essay written by inaugural KLC Scholar and incoming UC Irvine Law student, Anna Nahm (class of 2028), reflecting on the recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and how she supported her community in Orange County.

Cookies for Community: Food is Power Bake Sale

by Anna Nahm

What started as $300 in grocery runs and Staples orders turned into a $1,150 donation to the Orange County Justice Fund alongside a weekend of reflecting on the current ICE raids and mass deportations, celebrating our giving whilst mourning the loss of vibrant, integral members of our community here in Orange County.

When I saw the news of ICE raids hitting Southern California and the mass deportations occurring in Orange County, I knew I wanted to support my community in whatever way that I could. In reflecting on my love for Orange County’s vibrant immigrant community, I naturally turned to my own love language, food, as a means to send and show my support for the immigrants who make our county and country the home that it is for me today.

Food is Power, a charity bake sale with 100% of sales donated to the Orange County Justice Fund, launched on June 21st at Nani & Friends, a live music event hosted in Costa Mesa, with pick-up orders available through that weekend. Through serving baked goods influenced by our local immigrant community, from Esquites Cornbread to Arroz Con Leche Rice Krispies Treats, and additional donations, Food is Power raised $1,150 for the OC Justice Fund to support their current bond work and immigrant advocacy efforts in Orange County.

It was an absolute honour to see my community show up and out for this bake sale and host an opportunity to discuss the current crisis in our community and the impactful work of the OC Justice Fund.

As a 1.5-generation Korean American and long-time resident of Orange County, I’ve always gravitated toward opportunities to serve my local community. As an incoming Korea Law Center Scholar, I am looking forward to furthering my community service in the Korean/Korean American community, and as a UCI Law Student, I look forward to gaining another language, law, to continue to fight for immigrant rights beyond donations and baked goods.

Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Administration Summer Program

Top row, L-R: UC Irvine Law welcomes SNU GSPA scholars; Khary Hornsby, Assistant Dean of Global Programs, with visiting scholars; Students with Professor William Hernandez.

Bottom row, L-R: State Interpreter Winter Bonin shows off a skunk during a guided tour at Crystal Cove State Park; Students enjoying In-N-Out; James Irvine Swinden giving a tour to students at the IMCA Langson Museum.

For the third consecutive year, UC Irvine Law is honored to host an esteemed cohort of scholars from Seoul National University's Graduate School of Public Administration (GSPA). Each year, this distinguished program welcomes thirty scholars from Seoul National University's GSPA to engage in a series of lectures led by UC Irvine faculty and other leading scholars.

This year's program, which spanned from July 7 until July 17, included lectures from UC Irvine Law Dean Austen Parrish, Assistant Dean of Global Programs Khary Hornsby, UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business Professor William Hernandez, Loyola Law School Professor Robert Kang, UC Irvine Law Professor Stephen Lee, and Korea Law Center Faculty Director and UC Irvine Law Professor Sung Eun (Summer) Kim. The group of scholars were hosted by Mr. James Irvine Swinden for a special tour of the IMCA Langson Museum, a ranger led visit to Crystal Cove State Park, the courtroom of the Honorable Judge Richard Lee, and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

A special thank you to Professor Chongmin Na of Seoul National University for his help in coordinating this summer program. We would also like to thank the scholars who participated in this year's program:

We would love to connect with you! If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to the Korea Law Center at klc@law.uci.edu.

The Korea Law Center is supported by charitable gifts and contributions, if you would like to donate to the center you can do so here: Give to UCI.