1. On October 18, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with President Paik Jin-hyun of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), who was on a visit to the Republic of Korea. In their meeting, the Minister extended congratulations to the President on taking up the post of eighth ITLOS President and discussed with him ways that the ROK and ITLOS can work together.

※ Having become an ITLOS judge for the first time in the by-election for the March 2009-September 2014 term held in March 2009 upon the passing of judge Park Choon-ho, President Paik Jin-hyun was elected to the current three-year-term post on October 2, 2017.

※ ITLOS, the Hamburg, Germany-based international legal organization established pursuant to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, is composed of 21 judges who seek judicial resolutions of disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the Convention.

2. Minister Kang, calling the election of President Paik to the post a significant advance and achievement on the part of the ROK in the field of international law, congratulated the President on his election and voiced hope that he will reap good results from his work.

° Furthermore, the Minister, describing ITLOS as one of the important judicial organizations that handle maritime disputes, expressed hope that President Paik’s service at ITLOS will lead to a closer cooperation between the ROK and ITLOS.

3. President Paik, extending appreciation to the Minister for her congratulation, stressed that as President of ITLOS, which had contributed to the resolution of such maritime disputes as those between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, as well as between Bangladesh and Myanmar, he will carry out his work in a fair and sincere manner.

° In addition, the President, sharing the Minister’s view regarding the need for a closer cooperation between the ROK and ITLOS, pointed out that the ROK should contribute actively to the international community, including through capacity-strengthening projects for developing countries, as well as to the development of international law.

4. Going forward, the ROK Foreign Ministry will continue to seek a closer cooperation with ITLOS, a prestigious international judicial organization that works to resolve maritime disputes. Furthermore, as a responsible member of the international community, the country will take an active part in the efforts to set and implement international norms on maritime affairs.


* unofficial translation