• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.101-119
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• 2007

Arbitration is contractual by nature. One cannot be required to submit to arbitration any dispute which he has not agreed to so submit. As commercial transactions become increasingly complex, involving multiple parties and numerous contracts for a single transaction, however, limiting the parties who are subject to arbitration to only those who have signed a contract containing an arbitration clause would frustrate the purpose of such arbitration clause and might lead to injustice among the relevant parties. Therefore, U.S. courts have recognized a number of theories under which non-signatories may be bound to the arbitration agreement of others: (1) incorporation by reference; (2) assumption; (3) agency; (4) veil-piercing/alter ego; and (5) estoppel. Incorporation by reference and veil-piercing theories have already been recognized by Korean courts. Agency theory and estoppel theory are not recognizable under Korean law. However, the same or similar result may be achieved by applying the third party beneficiary theory or assumption by third party theory. Although a couple of Supreme Court cases appear to be at odds with the assumption theory, on the basis of the recent amendments to the Arbitration Act, such court precedents can be and should be reversed.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.51-76
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• 2023

It is important who is bound by an arbitration agreement and what is the subject of the agreement in resolving disputes through arbitration. However, there are no provisions on them in the Korean Arbitration Act. Where an arbitration agreement is valid, the persons who are bound by the agreement cannot bring the claims which are the subject of the agreement to a court. Therefore, in determining the subjective scope of the effect of an arbitration agreement, we should make allowances for the essential qualities of arbitration to ensure the efficient resolution of disputes on the basis of the parties' agreement, and take caution not to infringe on the rights to be tried in court. Where the rights or legal relationships constituting the dispute that is the subject of the arbitration agreement have been assigned, the effect of the arbitration agreement between the predecessor and the other party should be extend to the successor, when it is agreed to transfer the status under the arbitration agreement to the successor between the three. However, in the absence of such an agreement, it is necessary to weigh the interests between the predecessor, the other party and the successor to determine whether the arbitration agreement has any effect on the successor. Arbitration is a method of resolving disputes based on the agreement of the parties. If it matters whether third parties who are not parties to the arbitration agreement is bound by the arbitration agreement or may invoke it, it should be resolved according to the intentions of the parties. Where the parties to an arbitration agreement have agreed to allow a third party to invoke the arbitration agreement, the effect of the arbitration agreement will extend to the third party. However, even if the parties to the arbitration agreement have not expressly agreed on this, when it is recognized that the parties have sought to resolve the dispute through arbitration even in relation to a third party by exploring the reasonable intentions of the parties, the effect of the arbitration agreement will extend to the third party.