Maritime Law Judge Advances to Third Consecutive Term... Government "Confirms International Community Trust"

Security Council Entry and Election of Maritime Law Judge 'Great Achievement'
Continuous Success Since the Tribunal's Establishment in 1996
Lee Jahyung "Will Meet International Community's Trust in Korea"

South Korea, having advanced as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has achieved the remarkable feat of consecutively producing three judges for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). ITLOS has jurisdiction over disputes concerning the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, often called the "Constitution of the Sea," and its decisions are binding on the parties involved. The government evaluated that this election of a judge reaffirmed the international community's sympathy and trust in South Korea.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Mission to the UN on the 15th, Lee Ja-hyung, Director General of the International Legal Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was elected on the 14th (local time) at the 33rd Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea held at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA, for the ITLOS judgeship term 2023?2032. With this, South Korea has continuously produced judges three times in a row since the establishment of ITLOS in 1996 without exception.

On the 14th (local time), Lee Ja-hyung, Director General of the International Legal Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (left), who was elected as a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, and Hwang Jun-guk, Ambassador to the UN, are shaking hands.
[Photo by Permanent Mission to the UN]

In this election, there were two vacancies in the Asia-Pacific regional group, with South Korea, Japan, and Iraq competing. Out of 167 member states, 164 participated in the vote, and Director General Lee received 144 votes, meeting the election requirement of more than two-thirds support. Prior to him, the late Judge Park Chun-ho served from 1996 to 2008, and Judge Baek Jin-hyun has been active from 2009 to the present.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters on the day, "With the election of Director General Lee Ja-hyung, South Korea's status in the field of maritime law will be elevated," adding, "The government will continue to protect our maritime sovereignty and territory and contribute to forming an international order based on norms."

Some speculate that this may have a positive influence on the dispute over the sovereignty of Dokdo, but given the nature of the judge's duties requiring neutrality, there are expected to be limitations. Nevertheless, there is an assessment that the election of a Korean national as a judge to an important position in an international organization, especially one dealing with maritime order, holds significant meaning. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official explained, "As the importance of the sea grows, it is very meaningful that a judge of our nationality continues to hold this position."

On the 14th (local time), the Meeting of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA.
[Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' efforts during the intense lobbying process ahead of the election also received praise. Director General Lee personally attended international law-related meetings worldwide to showcase his capabilities and vision, and met with various international law experts to repeatedly validate his expertise. The Ministry headquarters also joined forces with overseas missions to launch an all-out campaign to secure support from member states. An official hinted, "Minister Park Jin directly sent messages to foreign ministers he had previously contacted, striving until the end to secure unpredictable votes."

Lee Ja-hyung, Director General of the International Legal Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed, "I feel joy and at the same time a heavy sense of responsibility," and said, "Above all, I believe being a Korean candidate had the greatest impact on my election." He added, "I will strive to be a judge who meets the trust and expectations of the international community toward our country." Director General Lee is an international law expert currently holding his position after serving as Director of the International Law Division, Legal Team Leader at the Permanent Mission to the UN, and Ambassador to Afghanistan, and has led the Korean delegation in various maritime law-related negotiations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.