Korea's Largest Maritime Security Conference Opens as a Platform for Sharing Maritime Law Response Strategies

Policy, Academia, and Industry Experts Gather in One Place

The largest academic event on maritime security and maritime law in Korea, the "2025 Autumn Joint Academic Conference," was held on November 28 at the CJ Law Building of Korea University School of Law.

The largest academic event on maritime security and maritime law in Korea, the "2025 Autumn Joint Academic Conference," was held, with participants taking a commemorative photo. Photo by National Pukyong University

This year’s conference, under the theme "Responses to Maritime Security Crises and Latest Trends in Maritime Law," brought together scholars, policymakers, and industry experts for in-depth discussions.

The conference was jointly hosted by the Korean Association of Maritime Police Science (President: Lim Seokwon, Professor at Pukyong National University), the Korea University Maritime Law Research Center (Director: Kim Inhyeon), and the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of Kunsan National University. Reflecting the recent escalation of maritime security threats and changes in the international maritime environment, the event aimed to explore legal and institutional response measures.

The opening ceremony began with a welcome address by Yoon Sungtaek, Vice President for Research at Korea University, followed by opening remarks from President Lim Seokwon and Director Kim Inhyeon. Congratulatory speeches were delivered by Kwon Sungwon, President of the Korea Maritime Law Association; Cho Yonghwa, President of the Korea Maritime Pilots’ Association; Lee Chaeik, Chairman of the Korea Shipping Association; Lee Siwon, Director of the Central Maritime Safety Tribunal; and Bae Sanghoon, President of Pukyong National University, among other key institutional leaders.

During the conference, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for research cooperation was also signed between the Korean Association of Maritime Police Science and the Korea University Maritime Law Research Center, paving the way for expanded joint research and data sharing in the future.

The keynote speech was delivered by Kim Inhyeon, Emeritus Professor at Korea University, who presented on "The Sea and I," outlining directions for the development of maritime law and fundamental principles for responding to maritime security crises. Emphasizing the strategic and economic importance of the sea, Professor Kim stated, "The nation’s capacity to respond to maritime crises is directly linked to its sustainability."

The academic conference continued with four specialized sessions.

In the first session, Dr. Lee Hyunkyoon from the Korean Institute of Legal Studies addressed legal issues surrounding ship cybersecurity, discussing the scope of liability for shipowners and managers in light of increasing cyberattacks.

In the second session, Attorney Lee Gwanghoo from Woomeon Law Firm interpreted Article 65-2 of the Marine Accident Investigation and Tribunal Act, highlighting the principle of prohibition of disadvantageous changes and examining procedural fairness in investigation and adjudication processes.

In the third session, Professor Son Youngtae from Kunsan National University proposed improvements to the maritime disaster rescue team system, emphasizing the need to strengthen the expertise of on-site response systems. In the fourth session, Dr. Min Younghoon from the Korea Maritime Institute provided an in-depth analysis of effective response strategies to complex maritime threats, including cyber, environmental, and military risks.

Following the sessions, the regular general meeting and awards ceremony of the Korean Association of Maritime Police Science took place, along with research ethics training and networking activities among participants from academia, policy institutions, and industry.

President Lim Seokwon and Director Kim Inhyeon stated, "This joint academic conference was the first and largest in Korea to bring together the latest issues in maritime security and maritime law in one place. We expect it will play a significant role in shaping future maritime security policies and improving maritime legislation in Korea."

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