• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.12
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• pp.495-518
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• 1999

Since the end of World War II, the standby letters of credit have been used as a surety device, serving as a performance bond and guarantee in the world. In Korea, the standby letters of credit have been also being used in international transactions. But there have been a few studies on the standby letters of credit. This study is carrying out to reveal the characteristics of the standby letters of credit and the documentary letters of credit and also between the standby letters of credit and guarantees. Secondly, this study is carrying out to indicate types of practical use of standby letters of credit in international transactions, i.e. bid bonds, performance bonds, advanced payment guarantees etc.. Finally, this study is carrying out to indicate governig rules regarding standby letters of credit, i.e. URCG, URDG, UCP, UN Convention on Independent Guarantees and Standby Letters of Credit, ISP etc..

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.20
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• pp.295-315
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• 2003

Since the end of World War II, the standby letters of credit have been used as a surety device, serving as a performance bond and guarantee in the world. UCP has been used a governing rule for standby letters of credit transactions in international commercial transactions. But the UCP may be sufficient for certain simple standbys, it is not fully applicable nor appropriate for standbys - as is recognized in UCP 500 Article 1. On the other hand, the International Standby Practices(ISP98) provide rules of practice drafted specifically for standby letters of credit intended as an alternative to UCP 500. It became effective on January 1, 1999. In addition to restating general rules applicable to all independent undertakings with greater precision than does UCP 500, thereby reducing the possibility of litigation, it addresses issues that commonly arise in standby practice not addressed in UCP 500. UCP 500 is valid and still applies to standby letter of credit "to the extent to which they may be applicable." Since ISP98 and UCP 500 coexist and may be applicable to standby letters of credit by incorporation, applicants, beneficiaries and issuers have a choice. This study will assist all interested parties in establishing the right rules for the right product, for the right standby letters of credit.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.39
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• pp.87-103
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• 2008

Two kinds of security devices such as independent guarantees and standby letters of credit have been widely used in the international transactions. These devices design to protect one of the parties from a breach by its counter-party. Main uses of these guarantees and standby letters of credit are as follows : bid guarantee, performance guarantee, advance payment guarantee, payment guarantee, retention guarantee, etc. The standby letters of credit were first invented in the U.S.A. and have been widely used in the international and domestic contracts in the U.S.A. But the practical use of these credits is very unsatisfactory in Korea. The purpose of this study is to serve the increase of practical use of the standby letters of credit in Korea through the comparison study on the practical use of the credits between Korea and the U.S.A. Both devices are very similar in function, but they are very different in forms. The one has the form of letter of credits but the other has the form of guarantee. The letter of credit has the stability of governing rule, the legal certainty, and the preference in the field of the trade community comparing to the guarantee. I recommend to use standby letter of credit instead of bank guarantee in international transactions because of the merits of the credit aforesaid.

• The Journal of Information Technology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.55-72
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• 2000

The International Standby Practices (ISP98) has been carefully crafted for use with standby letters of credit. ISP98 is expected to become widely used for standby letters of credit commencing January 1, 1999. These new practices have been ratified and jointly published by the International Chamber of Commerce- the same organization that Provided us with the Uniform Customs and Practices for Documentary Credits, UCP500. The intention behind drafting ISP98 was to consolidate common and accepted practices applying to Standby Letters of Credit and to set a worldwide standard. ISP98 gives issuing organizations a set of practices that are free from the anomalies that arise when UCP500 is applied to Standby Letters of Credit This paper focuses on ISP98 provisions that may lead to changes in forms of standby letters of credit and reimbursement agreements, that may lead to changes in standby practices, that may alert parties to issues they had not previously focused upon, or that parties may wish to limit or vary, This Paper also focuses on differences between ISP98 and the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, 1993 revision, ICC Publication No. 500(UCP 500).

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.39
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• pp.59-85
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• 2008

An independent bank guarantee(aka an independent guarantee) is provided as an security on a principal obligor's performance of his obligation, and a guarantor should pay the guaranteed amount only upon a beneficiary's written demand. A standby letter of credit has been used in the United States, since it was construed that a bank should not issue a guarantee. There was wide misunderstanding that a standby letter of credit differs from an independent bank guarantee. However, a standby letter of credit is the same security as an independent bank guarantee, and in international business a standby letter of credit is not differentiated from a independent bank guarantee. An independent bank guarantee are independent from the underlying contract, unconditional, and irrevocable. And a guarantor should pay upon written demand without proving a principal obligor breaches the underlying contract. These features of an independent bank guarantee has been abused in international transactions. Thus it has been proposed that some exceptions to the features of an independent bank guarantee should be allowed. United Nations Convention on Independent Guarantees and Standby Letter of Credit(1995) stipulates some exceptions to payment obligation. Export bond insurance, a part of export insurances, operated by the Korea Export Insurance Corporation under the Export Insurance Act, is used as a security for unfair calling by a beneficiary under an independent bank guarantee. Most of the export subsides by the government are prohibited under WTO's Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. However, as export insurance is allowed under the WTO, it operates a significant role in enhancing the export. In the event that export bond insurance is provided for a guarantor, an obligor who is subject to recourse by a guarantor, can be exempt from the recourse in case of unfair calling. The Korea Export Insurance Corporation, an insurer, bears unfair calling risk by a beneficiary. Generally it is understood that a demand shall be made before the expiry of an independent bank guarantee. However this is not absolutely true, it shall be decided by URDG, ISP98, the governing law.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.14
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• pp.257-287
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• 2000

Many problems and complaints have been caused by applying the UCP to the standby credit. To solve the problem, International Standby Practices were established. ISP and UCP are similar in that both of them generally regulate the transaction of credit. However, when the ISP is compared with the UCP, the following features are found : 1. In the UCP, when Force Majeure such as acts of God or strikes cause temporary work stoppage, the expiration date cannot be extended. In the ISP, the expiration date can be extended to 30 days afte the place for presentation re-opens for business in the same situation. 2. The UCP does not specify who the issuer of a document must be because there can be many issuers of documents. In the ISP, it is specified that all required documents are to be issued by the beneficiary. 3. In the UCP, compliance between presented documents is required. In the ISP, a discrepancy between presented documents is allowed. 4. In the UCP, if drawings and/or shipments are required by a credit to be made in instalments, and a required drawing/instalment is not made, the credit ceases to be available for any subsequent instalment. In ISP, there is no loss of effect and no influence on the right of beneficiaries, even in the same situation. 5. In the UCP, multiple transfers are not permitted, but partial transfers are. ISP states just the opposite. Multiple transfers are permitted, but partial transfers are not. 6 The UCP obligate each bank (issuer, confirming and nominated bank) to complete their review within a 'reasonable time' but not more than seven banking days. In the ISP, less than three business days is deemed to be not unreasonable and more than seven days is deemed to be unreasonable. 7. ISP, unlike UCP, recognizes that issuers and confirmers may spread their risk through syndication and participation of standby credits. However, the thing to remember is that the ISP should be reviewed carefully before application. If necessary, a partial addition or modifications can be made. Usually, the best advantage of the ISP is given to the issuers. A positive use of the ISP can be made by issuers but, applicants should consider using the UCP to the their rights and duties.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.161-178
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• 2009

This article focuses on the enforceability of arbitration agreements m the dispute of standby letter of credit, especially with the case analysis of the leading case from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. In Nova Hut a.s. v. Kaiser Group International Inc. case, while the underlying contract contained an arbitration clause, a guarantee to assure contractor's performance did not contain an arbitration clause. Nova Hut drew on the standby for the Contractor's failure to deliver contractual obligations. Against the Kaiser's action under US Bankruptcy law, Nova Hut moved to stay the proceedings pending arbitration, to compel arbitration, and to dismiss the complaint. The US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware denied Nova Hut's motions. On appeal, Kaiser argued that it was not subject to arbitration since it was not a party to the contract. It also argued that Nova Hut had waived its right to arbitration by filing a proof of claim in the bankruptcy proceeding and commencing legal actions in other countries. The appeals court noted that in order to avoid arbitration on those grounds prejudice must be shown. It indicated that because there was no long delay in requesting arbitration and no discovery conducted m the course of litigation, the Kaiser could not demonstrate actual prejudice on the part of Owner. In light of public policy favoring arbitration, the nature of the claims in the parties' agreements, Kaiser's conduct in embracing the agreements, and their expectation of benefit, the appeals court ruled that the doctrine of equitable estoppel applied in requiring the Parent to arbitrate.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.17
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• pp.7-35
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• 2002

In many international financing transactions Korean companies are required to issue a guarantee. Thus far, however, legal issues on international guarantees have not been fully discussed in Korea. This is partly because most of the international guarantees are governed by a foreign law such as English law or the laws of the State of New York. In this articles the author examines major concepts or terms and conditions of a typical international guarantee, e.g., language on consideration, primary obligor, joint and several guarantee, unconditional and irrevocable guarantee, continuing guarantee, right of subrogation, representations and warranties, covenant or undertaking, currency indemnity, assignment, participation, governing law and jurisdiction clause, etc. For reference, standard forms of a guarantee and a standby letter of credit are attached to the article. In examining the terms and conditions, the author compares them with similar or equivalent concepts under Korean law. The author further discusses some Korean law issues that may arise under international guarantees governed by a foreign law. These issues include the application of the ultra vires doctrine under Article 34 of the Civil Code of Korea, the validity of an international guarantee which a Korean company has issued in violation of the guarantee ceiling set under Article 10 of the Law on Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade of Korea and the validity of an international guarantee which a Korean party has issued in violation of the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law. In addition, the author discusses some issues under a so-called independent guarantee and a standby letter of credit. In this regard, reference is made to the Uniform Rules for Demand Guarantee (URDG), International Standby Practices (ISP98) and the Convention on Independent Guarantees and Stand-by Letters of Credit adopted by the United Nations in 1995. Finally, the author examines major terms and conditions of typical comfort letters and discusses some legal issues, such as the binding force of the comfort letter. In dealing with the issues the author underscores that to the extent the issues are not properly dealt with by an international norm such as Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits or ISP 98, the issues must be analyzed by reference to the governing law of the relevant instrument.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.76
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• pp.103-123
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• 2017

If additional condition in letter of credit is used in malicious way, it affects the international trade transaction in jeopardy. Therefore, it's significant to identify whether additional conditions are malicious or ordinary in the transaction with letter of credit. In normal cases, thanks to lots of useful features as an international payment method, such as security of payment, legal protection, and versatility, a letter of credit is widely used in international trade. However, even with these advantageous features, a letter of credit is complicate and costly to use, compared to other payment methods. Furthermore, due to its principle of independence from underlying contract, a use of letter of credit creates another type of concern for proper handling and needs significant caution upon field use. At some points, malicious additional conditions are used for buyer's advantage in deal making and fraud instance in worst situation. In addition, some countries request malicious conditions against sellers as a non-tariff barrier. Therefore it's extremely important to recognize whether malicious additional condition exists in letter of credit and, if so, how to deal with it. This study delivers the information to distinguish and categorize the malicious conditions in various cases and to figure out how to deal with them for safer trade with less risk.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.41
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• pp.25-50
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• 2009

In this article, I have reviewed the definition of international mercantile customs, their preferential application, the developing status of the credit practice, the effectiveness and relationship of the international standard banking practices, e.g. UCP 600 and ISBP 2007, ISP98, URR 725, eUCP 1.1. and the like, established by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). It is important to emphasize that the autonomous agreements between the credit parties and the international practice on the credit transaction are respected above all because of the special nature of its transaction. When we want to apply to a letter of credit by the international rules - UCP 600, ISP98, URDG, URR 725 and eUCP 1.1, we must indicate expressly in the text of the credit that it is subject to the respective rule. But the International Standard Banking Practice, 2007 revised by the ICC is applicable to without its indication in case of the UCP 600 credit. On the other hand, the UN Convention on Guarantees and Standby Credits applies to an international undertaking referred to in its article 2, (a) if the guarantor/issuer is in a Contracting State, or (b) if the rules of private international law lead to the application of the law of a Contracting State, unless the undertaking excludes the application of the Convention. And this Convention applies also to an international credit not falling within its article 2, if it expressly states that it is subject to this Convention.