Sarah E. Park

Local Partner, Seoul

Biography

Overview

Sarah is a local partner in the Project Development and Finance Group in Seoul and advises export credit agencies, commercial lenders, corporates, private equity firms, sponsors and contractors on a wide range of power, infrastructure, oil & gas and LNG projects in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

Sarah has represented major Korean corporations and financial institutions on their cross-border transactions and was previously on secondment at The Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM). She also has extensive experience advising on a broad spectrum of corporate, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and private equity transactions.

Sarah was recognized as a "Next Generation Partner" by leading legal directory The Legal 500 for South Korea: Projects and Energy in 2020 and shortlisted for "Woman Lawyer of the Year" by ALB Korea Law Awards in 2020. As an associate, she was also named a "Rising Star – High Yield" by IFLR Asia Awards in 2015.

Bars and Courts
New York State Bar
US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Registered Foreign Legal Consultant, Korea
Education
JD
Georgetown University Law Center
BA
Seoul National University
Languages
English
Korean
German

Experience

Sarah's experience includes representation of:

Project Finance

  • Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) in its acquisition and financing of a coal-fired power project in Indonesia.
  • The financiers, including KEXIM and K-SURE, on a landmark US$3 billion first in class hybrid corporate financing to Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) to develop the NLNG Train 7 Project.
  • The financiers on a landmark US$20 billion project financing of Mozambique’s first onshore LNG development, Mozambique LNG.
  • A Korean government-owned power company in connection with the development of a hydropower project in Pakistan.
  • A Korean government-owned power company in connection with the development of a power project in Vietnam.
  • The lenders in connection with the financing of a PTA plant in Oman.
  • K-SURE, KDB and other lenders in relation to the financing of the 2 x 100 MW mine-mouth Kalsel-1 IPP in Indonesia.*
  • K-EXIM, K-SURE, China Eximbank, Sinosure, Euler-Hermes, Islamic Development Bank, HSBC, SMBC and BTMU on the development and financing of the US$5 billion Balkhash power project in Kazakhstan.*
  • ADB in relation to the financing of the Tolo wind farm and four solar projects in Lombok (3 x 5 MW) and South Sulawesi (1 x 15 MW) in Indonesia. Tolo was the second wind project to achieve financial close in Indonesia and the solar projects were the first utility-scale solar projects to be financed in Indonesia.*
  • ADB, IFC, K-EXIM, K-SURE and other lenders in relation to the financing of a hydropower project in Upper Trishuli, Nepal.*
  • ADB, IFC and ETDB in relation to the financing of the 100 MW Zorlu solar power project in Bahawalpur, the Punjab province of Pakistan.*
  • The lenders, including K-SURE, in connection with the financing of a LNG FSRU and regasification terminal in Bahrain.*
  • The successful consortium of J-Power, Itochu Corporation and Adaro in relation to the development and financing of the Central Java IPP, a greenfield coal-fired IPP at Pemalang in Central Java with a capacity of up to 2,000 MW financed by JBIC and other lenders.*
  • PSA, Saigon Port and Vinalines, as sponsors, in the subsequent restructuring of the financing of the US$227 million Thi Vai container terminal project in Vietnam.*

Corporate/M&A, Private Equity and Capital Markets

  • A consortium of Korean investors in connection with an acquisition of a 49.9 percent cash equity interest in a portfolio of four wind projects in the US totalling 852 MW, located in Texas, Illinois and Nebraska. The consortium consists of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., Alpha Asset Management, Sprott Korea Investment, Hana Financial Investment and Korea Investment & Securities.
  • A Korean government-owned power company in its potential joint venture investment in a solar power project in the US, including CFIUS review.
  • A Korean government-owned power company in its potential acquisition and financing of a solar power project in the US.
  • A Korean conglomerate company in its potential joint venture investment in a public procurement project in the US.
  • M&A transactions involving majority and minority investors in connection with joint ventures.*
  • US and international companies, private equity sponsors and financial institutions on transactions involving equity and debt securities offerings in accordance with Rule 144A, Regulation S and Regulation D.*

Arbitration

  • A Korean construction company in connection with advisory work in relation to a potential arbitration under an EPC contract.
  • A Korean construction company in connection with a review of potential claims in relation to a power project.
  • A Korean government-owned power company in connection with potential claims in relation to a power project.

*Experience prior to joining White & Case