Korea to nominate ex-ITLOS president as ICJ judge candidate

Paik Jin-hyun, former president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), speaks during a seminar at the Ramada Hotel in Seoul, June 30, 2011. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Korea will nominate Paik Jin-hyun, former president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), as the candidate for the election for judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Paik, an honorary professor at Seoul National University, will compete in the election to fill five of the 15 seats on the judge panel at the The Hague-based U.N. organ, scheduled for late 2026.

Paik, known for his extensive expertise in international law, is the first Korean nominee for the ICJ judge election.

"With extensive experience in international litigation and a solid academic background, professor Paik is a highly qualified candidate for the position of ICJ judge," a ministry official told reporters.

Paik served as an ITLOS judge from 2009-23 and as its president from 2017-20. Paik is also the only Korean member of the Institute of International Law.

"We have long believed that it is necessary to contribute to the field of international law in a way that befits our national status and dignity, and that this requires eventual participation in the ICJ," the official said.

An ICJ judge is elected to a nine-year term by the U.N. General Assembly and the U.N. Security Council, requiring an absolute majority of votes in both bodies.

In addition to Korea, seven countries — Singapore, France, Britain, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya and Zambia — have announced candidates for the ICJ judge position, with more nations possibly to follow suit. (Yonhap)