14th Global Ocean Regime Conference set for Monday and Tuesday in Seoul

About 100 experts to discuss legal challenges posed by AI and digital technology

Key visual for the 14th Global Ocean Regime Conference [Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries]
Key visual for the 14th Global Ocean Regime Conference [Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries]

As AI and digital technology spread rapidly across maritime activities, an international conference will convene to examine how existing international maritime law should be interpreted and applied — and what legal gaps the new technologies may expose.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced Sunday that it will hold the 14th Global Ocean Regime Conference in Seoul on Monday and Tuesday, bringing together about 100 domestic and international maritime law experts.

Now in its 14th year, the conference will focus on the impact of AI and digital technology on international maritime law — examining how existing legal frameworks should be interpreted and applied as technology evolves, and what legal issues arise from emerging maritime activities.

The program comprises three main sessions and two sessions for early-career scholars. José Luís Jesus, former president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, will deliver the keynote address, reflecting on the tribunal's role and the significance of the maritime dispute resolution framework.

The main sessions will feature presentations and discussions on the interpretation and application of international maritime law in the context of AI and digital advances, the legal issues surrounding digitally enabled maritime activities, and gaps in the implementation of international law.

In the early-career sessions, seven young researchers from Korea and abroad will present their work on international maritime law and discuss key issues with senior experts.

International participants include Robert Beckman, a professor at the National University of Singapore; Alexander Proelss, a professor at the University of Hamburg in Germany; and James Kraska, a professor at the US Naval War College.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Hwang Jong-woo said advances in AI and digital technology are rapidly transforming the nature of maritime activities, heightening the need for discussion on the new challenges facing international maritime law and drawing growing attention from the international community. "We will actively engage in international discussions on maritime law and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with experts at home and abroad to contribute to the development of international maritime law," he said.


adastra@heraldcorp.com