1. Korean candidate, Dr. Paek Keebong, was elected as a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the term of 2024-2033 on December 6, 2023 (New York time), during the 22nd Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

2. The ICC was established according to the Rome Statute in 2003 as the first permanent international tribunal which prosecutes individuals for the most serious crimes of international concern, including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. The ICC has played a pivotal role in realizing international criminal justice over the past 20 years.

※ The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court was adopted on July 17, 1998, and entered into force on July 1, 2002. (Korea signed the Rome Statute on March 8, 2000, bringing it into force for Korea on February 1, 2003.)

3. In this election, candidates from thirteen countries vied for six seats. Dr. Paek Keebong was elected with 83 votes which was more than two-thirds (82 votes) of the effective votes (123 votes) of the 123 States Parties present.

※ Along with Dr. Paek, candidates from Mongolia, France, Slovenia, Romania, and Tunisia were elected as judges in this election.

4. It is a remarkable achievement for Korea: It has thus far advanced its own nationals to serve as judges of the ICC for four consecutive terms* since the Court’s establishment in 2003. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs carried out the campaign with its overseas diplomatic missions and closely cooperated with the Ministry of Justice to promote the candidate’s high qualifications and expertise to the international community. The results of this election show that the international community acknowledges the qualifications of Dr. Paek and Korea’s contributions to the ICC.

* Korea’s previous/current ICC judges: Song Sang-Hyun (2003-2006, 2006-2015) and Jung Chang-Ho (2015-2024)

5. Judge-elect Dr. Paek Keebong is well-known for his expertise in the practice and theory of international criminal law. He has over 30 years of experience as a prosecutor and attorney and a Ph.D. degree on criminal evidence law of the ICC. He also worked at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for many years, contributing to international cooperation in the prevention of international crime, terrorism, and corruption. Recognizing his experiences and qualifications, the Advisory Committee on Nominations of Judges of the ICC* evaluated him as “highly qualified.”

* The members of the Advisory Committee on Nominations of Judges of the ICC review the experiences of the candidates, conduct interviews and present evaluation results.

- Out of the thirteen candidates in this election, five candidates (from Korea, Estonia, France, North Macedonia and Tunisia) were evaluated as “highly qualified.”

6. Based on his various experiences and in-depth knowledge of the Rome Statute, judge-elect Dr. Paek is expected to play a crucial role in the Court’s efforts to prevent the gravest crimes, protect victims and enhance the efficiency of judicial work using advanced information technology (IT).

7. The Republic of Korea substantially contributed to the drafting of the Rome Statute and has remained a strong supporter of the ICC for the past 20 years since the Court’s establishment in 2003. As a Global Pivotal State, Korea will continue its multifaceted efforts in further strengthening a rules-based international order.