▲ Second Vice Foreign Minister Oh Young-ju (L) speaks with Tomas Heidar, president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, in Seoul on Nov. 20, 2023, in this photo provided by the ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

vice FM-sea tribunal

Vice FM discusses maritime cooperation with U.N. sea tribunal chief

SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- Second Vice Foreign Minister Oh Young-ju discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in maritime issues with the United Nations sea tribunal head Monday, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

In the meeting with Tomas Heidar, president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Oh highly evaluated the agency's contribution in seeking the peaceful resolution of international maritime conflicts, the ministry said.

She stressed South Korea will continue its efforts to help advance the "rule of law in the maritime field" as a signatory of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The two sides also discussed ways to boost cooperation, as well as other issues like climate change and maritime law.

Rhee Zha-hyoung, a director-general for international legal affairs at the ministry who was elected a judge of the ITLOS for the 2023-2032 term, also attended the meeting, along with four other judges.

Heidar is currently in Seoul to attend the eighth International Conference on the Law of the Sea, an annual international forum on maritime law attended by ITLOS judges, government officials and experts.

ITLOS deals with global maritime issues, including sea border disputes among member states, under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. South Korea has successfully maintained a spot at the tribunal since 1996.

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