[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] A research report has been released stating that the Maritime Specialized Court should be established in Incheon, considering factors such as accessibility for users, location conditions, and balanced development among maritime cities.
The Maritime Court is a court that exclusively handles maritime cases such as ship collision accidents, marine insurance, and seafarer-related incidents.
The Incheon Institute announced the result report of the policy research project conducted in 2022 titled "Feasibility Study on the Establishment of a Maritime Specialized Court in Incheon" on the 16th.
According to the report, 64.2% of domestic demand for the Maritime Specialized Court comes from shipowners, and 79.9% of international logistics brokerage companies have their headquarters in the metropolitan area. Considering the accessibility of major domestic law firms handling maritime disputes and international maritime court users, Incheon, which has international airport and port infrastructure, was analyzed as the optimal location to attract the Maritime Specialized Court.
Additionally, if the scope of cases handled by the Maritime Court expands from existing civil cases to include fishing rights and others, it would be efficient for the region where the Coast Guard headquarters is located to handle the work. Considering South Korea's trade volume with China and the potential expansion to aviation cases in the future, Incheon is expected to have a geographical advantage.
Along with this, a review of domestic and international maritime-related institutions showed that while international organizations such as UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) are located in Incheon, there are no related domestic institutions, highlighting regional concentration and reverse discrimination against the metropolitan area.
Night view of Incheon New Port Container Terminal in Songdo International City [Photo by Incheon Port Authority]
Research Fellow Kang Dongjun stated, "Discussions on the location of the Maritime Court should prioritize accessibility and convenience for domestic and international stakeholders who are the actual users. Considering the speed, on-site presence, and future scalability in dispute resolution, Incheon, which has both an international airport and port, is the optimal location for the Maritime Specialized Court."
He added, "When selecting the location of the Maritime Court, it is necessary to reconsider domestic and international institutions that can secure practical connectivity, as well as consider regional allocation and fairness of domestic maritime institutions for balanced development among maritime cities."
Although South Korea is a maritime power ranked within the top 10 worldwide, it has relied on overseas arbitration centers or maritime courts in countries such as the UK and Singapore for maritime dispute cases due to the absence of a dedicated court.
Accordingly, as the need for establishing a Maritime Court has emerged, maritime cities including Incheon and Busan, as well as Seoul, are fiercely competing to attract it.
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