Young Lan Yea

Young Lan Yea stands as a singular force behind Agoda’s legal, regulatory, and government affairs in Korea, driving excellence and innovation in a highly complex and rapidly evolving market. As the sole legal counsel for Agoda Korea, Young Lan has not only managed all legal matters—ranging from contract negotiation and compliance to crisis management and regulatory response—but has also proactively led government relations, policy advocacy, and industry engagement. Her ability to single-handedly navigate the intersection of law, business, and public policy has been instrumental in enabling Agoda’s continued growth and resilience in Korea, one of the world’s most competitive and highly regulated digital markets.

Over the past 12–24 months, Young Lan has delivered outstanding results in several high-stakes areas: she has successfully defended Agoda in regulatory investigations, led the company’s response to new consumer protection and e-commerce laws, and ensured seamless compliance with evolving data privacy and platform regulations. Her strategic legal advice has directly enabled Agoda to launch new products and campaigns, while mitigating legal and reputational risks. Young Lan’s leadership has not only protected Agoda’s interests but has also set new standards for legal risk management and cross-functional collaboration in the region.

• Regulatory Defense & Compliance: Successfully managed multiple regulatory audits and investigations, resulting in zero fines or sanctions for Agoda Korea, despite heightened scrutiny of foreign OTAs.
• Government Affairs: Led all government relations and advocacy efforts, including direct engagement with ministries and regulatory bodies, often acting as Agoda’s representative in high-level meetings.
• Product Enablement: Provided end-to-end legal support for the launch of new business models (e.g., B2B partnerships, government coupon campaigns), ensuring compliance and risk mitigation.
• Crisis Management: Orchestrated Agoda’s legal and PR response to high-profile issues (e.g., dark pattern pricing, consumer complaints), minimizing reputational damage and regulatory exposure.
• Operational Impact: Drafted and negotiated all key contracts for Agoda Korea, covering suppliers, partners, and government entities, and implemented robust internal compliance protocols.
• Research & Policy Analysis: Conducted in-depth legal research on emerging issues (e.g., platform regulation, data localization), providing actionable insights to Agoda’s global leadership.

Young Lan’s approach is defined by agility, foresight, and a deep understanding of both local and global regulatory trends. Unlike traditional in-house counsel, she operates as a true business partner—integrating legal strategy with commercial objectives and public affairs. Her ability to anticipate regulatory changes and proactively shape Agoda’s response has set her apart in the industry. She has pioneered the use of data-driven legal risk assessment, developed innovative contract structures to address new business models, and built cross-functional crisis response frameworks that have been adopted regionally.

Moreover, Young Lan’s unique position—managing all legal and government affairs for a major global platform in Korea, often as a team of one—demonstrates exceptional leadership, resilience, and influence. Her work has not only safeguarded Agoda’s operations but has also contributed to shaping industry standards and best practices in the Korean digital economy.