By Diplomacy Journal Lee Gil-ju

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), will take place in Seoul between November 18 and 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.”

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the conference will start with welcoming remarks by Dr. Kim Jina, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, followed by opening remarks from Prof. Park Byung Do, President of the KSIL. A keynote speech will then be delivered by Mr. Tomas Heidar, President of ITLOS.

Next, former ITLOS President Paik Jin-Hyun will chair the 10th Anniversary Roundtable, which will reflect on the conference’s decade-long journey as a platform for academic and policy discussions on the development of the law of the sea, and explore the future direction of the international legal order of the oceans.

This year’s conference will bring together experts and practitioners in international law from governments, international organizations, and academia around the world to discuss a broad range of emerging issues and challenges concerning the global ocean.

The titles of the sessions include: Contributions of the United Nations to Ocean Governance, Maritime Disputes Settlement and New Frontiers in Judicial Bodies, and Role of Sectoral Bodies and Institutions for Global Ocean Commons.