WASHINGTON/NEW YORK/SEOUL - In a significant development for South Korea in international legal circles, a South Korean lawyer has been elected as a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the term 2024-2033. This election marks the third occasion a South Korean national has been appointed as a member of the 18-member court.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Paek Kee-bong, a lawyer associated with Kim & Chang, a prominent South Korean law firm, secured the position during a session of the Assembly of State Parties at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday (local time). Paek was among six judges newly elected to the ICC, winning his seat with 83 of the 123 votes cast.
Paek's educational background includes a 1987 law degree from Seoul National University and a 1998 degree from Columbia Law School. He further enhanced his qualifications with a Ph.D. in international law from Hanyang University in 2008. His career includes over two decades of service as a state prosecutor. Additionally, Paek served as a senior prosecutorial and judicial advisor at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's regional office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok from 2011 to 2014.
South Korea's foreign ministry has expressed its approval of Paek's election. The ministry highlighted South Korea's consistent success in having its judges elected to the ICC since its establishment, marking this as the fourth consecutive term. The ministry noted Paek's diverse experience and deep understanding of the Rome Statute, anticipating his significant contribution to the ICC's efficiency in handling serious crimes, victim relief, and the integration of advanced IT technology.
Currently, Chung Chang-ho, another South Korean, serves as an ICC judge, with his term concluding in March of the following year. Previously, Song Sang-hyun, also from South Korea, served on the ICC bench from 2003 to 2015 and was the court president from 2009 to 2015.
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, is tasked with investigating and prosecuting grave international crimes: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes of aggression. The court consists of 18 judges elected by the Assembly of State Parties for a nonrenewable nine-year term. These judges elect the ICC president and two vice presidents among themselves. The court's jurisdiction extends to its 123 state parties, which include nations like South Korea, Japan, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy.