Mongolia, France, Romania, Tunisia Elected Outside Korea
9-Year Term, 6 Members Selected
13 Countries Compete for 6 Vacancies
Obtained 83 Votes, Over Two-Thirds of Valid Votes
ICC Punishes Individuals for War and Aggression Crimes
Established in 2003, 123 Member Countries
Third Korean After Song Sang-hyun and Jeong Chang-ho
Attorney Baek Gi-bong of Kim & Chang law firm has been elected as a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC), a permanent war crimes tribunal under the United Nations. The ICC has a total of 18 judges, with six judges elected every three years at the Assembly of States Parties. The term of office is nine years in total.
Attorney Baek was elected as one of the six new judges at the ICC Assembly of States Parties held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, on the 6th (local time). This is the third time a Korean has been elected as an ICC judge. Following Song Sang-hyun, an emeritus professor at Seoul National University who served as a judge and the chief prosecutor, former Seoul High Court Chief Judge Jeong Chang-ho has been serving as a judge since 2015.
13 Candidates Compete for 6 Vacancies... Elected by Securing More Than Two-Thirds of the Votes
In this election, 13 candidates from different countries competed for six vacancies, and candidate Baek Gi-bong secured 83 votes, which is more than two-thirds (82 votes) of the valid votes (123 votes) out of 12 attending States Parties, confirming his election. Besides South Korea, candidates from Mongolia, France, Slovenia, Romania, and Tunisia were elected to the six judge vacancies.
The International Criminal Court is the first permanent international tribunal to punish individuals who commit crimes against humanity such as genocide and war crimes. Established in 2003, it has served as an international criminal justice tribunal for 20 years. Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, it has 123 member countries worldwide, including South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy. It has the authority to prosecute and punish individuals who commit war crimes, crimes of aggression, and crimes against humanity. Cases can be referred by the UN Security Council, by States Parties to the Rome Statute, or initiated by the Prosecutor’s independent investigation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release on the day, stating, “Since the establishment of the ICC, South Korea has achieved the remarkable feat of having judges elected for four consecutive terms.” It explained that it had conducted comprehensive lobbying activities through overseas missions and worked closely with related ministries such as the Ministry of Justice to promote the candidate’s capabilities and expertise to the international community. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added, “This election result reflects the international community’s recognition of the government’s efforts, the capabilities of the elected Baek Gi-bong, and South Korea’s contribution to the ICC.”
First ICC Judge from Prosecutorial Background... Expert in International Law
Attorney Baek is an expert in international criminal law, having graduated from Seoul National University Law School and Columbia University School of Law (LL.M), and earned a Ph.D. in international law from Hanyang University. After completing the Judicial Research and Training Institute, he began his career as a prosecutor at the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office and served in the prosecution for 22 years. During his tenure, he held positions such as Director of the International Legal Affairs Division at the Ministry of Justice, Chief of the Criminal Division 4 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, spokesperson for foreign media at the Office for the Preparation of the World Prosecutors’ Association at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, and Senior Legal Advisor at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Bangkok Branch. After leaving the prosecution in 2014, he recently worked as a corporate criminal lawyer at Kim & Chang law firm.
This is the first time a former prosecutor has been nominated as a candidate for ICC judge. In a written response submitted before the election, Attorney Baek stated, “The ICC must consider not only how investigations and trials are accepted by the parties involved but also how they affect the trust and support of the international community as a whole.” He further suggested, “It would be desirable to improve institutional mechanisms by accepting external advice and expanding deliberations to hear diverse opinions before making important decisions.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “Judge-elect Baek is expected to play a significant role in deterring serious crimes handled by the ICC, providing relief to victims, and enhancing trial efficiency through the use of advanced IT technologies.”
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