- Over 300 On-Site and 1,000 Online Participants Gather for In-Depth Discussions on the Expanding Role of UNCLOS and the Law of the Sea Institutions –

- Vice Minister Kim Jina Underscores the Need to Address Maritime Issues around the Korean Peninsula under the UNCLOS regime -

The 10th International Conference on the Law of the Sea, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and co-organized by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and the Korean Society of International Law (KSIL), was held in Seoul from Tuesday, November 18 to Wednesday, November 19, under the theme of “Celebrating a Decade of Dialogue: The Expanding Role of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Law of the Sea Institutions.”

On the opening day of the conference, Vice Minister Kim Jina delivered her welcoming remarks, in which she emphasized that Korea’s practical diplomacy – that advances peace and security – is equally vital to the advancement of maritime governance, and introduced the Korean government’s wide-ranging efforts to strengthen multilateral ocean governance.

She stressed that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) remains the essential framework guiding Korea’s engagement with its maritime neighbors, noting that cooperation, mutual understanding, and solutions grounded in international law are indispensable for managing the waters around the Korean Peninsula, where the maritime entitlements overlap with those of neighboring countries.

In this context, Vice Minister Kim noted that maritime boundary delimitation negotiations with China are currently underway, and highlighted the need to restore dialogue with Japan on maritime issues, including boundary delimitation, under the UNCLOS regime.

Next, in his opening address, President of the Korean Society of International Law (KSIL) Park Byung Do noted that ocean governance institutions established under UNCLOS - such as ITLOS, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), and the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) – are playing increasingly important roles amid emerging maritime challenges. He expressed hope that the conference would serve as an opportunity to advance new forms of cooperation in support of the rule of law at sea.

ITLOS President Tomas Heidar, in delivering his keynote speech, emphasized that the International Conference on the Law of the Sea has contributed to advancing the interpretation of UNCLOS and shaping the direction of international law on key maritime issues, including climate change, deep sea mining, and maritime boundary delimitation. He stressed that, as ocean challenges evolve and sustained institutional cooperation and continued legal clarification remain essential, the Tribunal will continue to play a key role in this regard.

This year’s conference brought together more than 300 on-site participants and over 1,000 online viewers, with 27 international law experts around the world sharing their insights on major maritime issues and challenges, including climate change at sea, contested issues in maritime boundary delimitation, and enhancing cooperation among ocean governance institutions.

Conference materials and video recording are available on the official website (www.icls.or.kr) and the YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/lawofthesea1982).