Establishment of the Maritime and International Commercial Court in Incheon Finalized as Related Bill Passes National Assembly

Scheduled to Open in March 2028

A bill calling for the establishment of maritime specialist courts in Incheon and Busan passed the plenary session of the National Assembly on February 12.

The Incheon Metropolitan City Government announced that, with the passage of the amendment to the Court Organization Act and the Act on the Establishment and Jurisdiction of Various Courts at the plenary session of the National Assembly on this day, the establishment of a maritime court, a long-cherished wish of Incheon citizens, has been finalized.

The amendment includes provisions to establish a specialized court dedicated to maritime cases, which refer to maritime-related disputes such as marine transport, vessel contracts, and ship accidents, and to stipulate the locations and jurisdictions of the courts in Incheon and Busan, among other details.

The official name of the newly established court is the Maritime and International Commercial Court, a special court that will have comprehensive jurisdiction not only over maritime cases arising at sea but also over international commercial disputes. The Maritime and International Commercial Court will be established only in two locations nationwide, Incheon and Busan, and is scheduled to open in March 2028.

The Incheon Maritime and International Commercial Court will have jurisdiction over the central region, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Chungcheong, and if the parties agree, cases arising anywhere in the country may be tried in Incheon.

Citywide rally urging the Maritime Court to be located in Incheon. Provided by Incheon City

Once the Maritime and International Commercial Court is established, Incheon is expected to be able to provide prompt and specialized judicial services for maritime and international commercial disputes with neighboring countries such as China, based on demand from the Seoul metropolitan area, where 64.2% of domestic shipping companies and about 80% of international logistics companies are concentrated.

In addition, the city expects that the court will help repatriate to Korea approximately 500 billion won in annual litigation costs that had been flowing overseas, while visits by domestic and foreign litigants will generate economic ripple effects in the lodging, tourism, and MICE industries, thereby invigorating the local economy of Incheon.

Mayor Yoo Jeongbok said, "The core judicial infrastructure needed for Incheon to leap forward as a global maritime city is finally being established," adding, "We will work closely with the Court Administration Office and other relevant institutions to ensure the smooth opening and stable operation of the court going forward."

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