The International Bar Association (IBA) Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU) has released the Republic of Korea Results Report (the ‘Report’) that looks into gender disparity at senior levels of the legal profession in Korea. Despite there having been a rise in the number of women lawyers in Korea since the end of the last century, the data informing the report revealed that women are still vastly under-represented at all levels of the legal profession in Korea. Written by the Gender Equality Centre of the Korean Bar Association (KBA) the Report is the seventh in a series to be published by the IBA and the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation as part of the 50:50 by 2030: A longitudinal study into gender disparity in law.Sara Carnegie, IBA Legal Projects Director, said: ‘We are enormously grateful to the Korean Bar Association for taking the lead on this report, and providing such in depth analysis of the data collected. The Republic of Korea report provides an excellent example of how collaboration with IBA member bars can broaden the reach of this project, enhancing its impact and offering insights into new jurisdictions. We extend our thanks to the KBA and encourage other bars to get involved.’Young Hoon Kim, President of the KBA, commented: ‘The KBA has been honoured to assist in this important study, gathering data from across our profession in the hope of furthering gender parity in the law. Despite a significant upsurge in the number of women training to be lawyers since the 1990s, female representation at the senior level is still sorely lacking. We must address the root causes of this disparity, challenge widespread cultural norms and champion lasting change.’Download reportKBA research shows that in 2023 there were 28,118 lawyers practising in the Republic of Korea, of which 8,269 were women (29 per cent). In comparison to data in other reports published in the 50:50 by 2030 project series, female representation in the legal profession in Korea lags behind the Netherlands (57 per cent), Chile (56 per cent), Spain (54 per cent), England and Wales (51 per cent) and Nigeria (40 per cent).Other key results for Korea from the survey include:in law firms, women make up 25 per cent of the workforce but only hold 13 per cent of senior posts;in the corporate sector, 28 per cent of all in-house lawyers are women but the figure drops to 12 per cent at senior positions;in the public sector, 35 per cent of lawyers are women with 29 per cent in high-level roles;the judiciary is comprised of 35 per cent women with 27 per cent holding senior roles;in law firms, flexible working was the most popular initiative to address gender disparity; andin public bodies and companies, gender sensitive education and training for male and female lawyers was the most popular initiative.In addition:only 44 per cent of law firms monitor gender balance in the workplace;sixty per cent of companies, almost all public sector bodies and the judiciary monitor gender balance;twelve per cent of law firms surveyed employ part time lawyers, compared with 14 per cent in the corporate sector; andin the public sector and the judiciary, there were no part time lawyers or judges recorded amongst respondents.To address the imbalances, there is recognition that steps need to be taken to foster a more inclusive environment for women legal professionals, introduce flexible work arrangements, establish and implement parental leave policies, and to expand childcare facilities. The Korean Bar Association is taking a number of steps and inaugurated its Gender Equality Centre to conduct research and training in gender equality in the legal profession. Also, between 2017 and 2022, the Korean Government worked on a five-year plan to improve the number of practising female lawyers, specifically in the public sector. The number of female lawyers in the public sector is higher at 35 per cent compared to the average of 29 per cent of other law sectors. The campaign may have had an effect.From a foreword to the Report, Sung Hee Kwon, General Manager of the KBA’s Gender Equality Centre, stated: ‘The public sector has benefitted from the Korean government’s policy to improve female representation. The statistics from law firms and in-house counsel show a much gloomier picture, with lower female representation in the legal profession and less women holding senior positions. All the figures urge the country to do more. Promotion linkhttps://x.com/IBAnews/status/1780185123956101604https://www.linkedin.com/posts/international-bar-association_legal-korea-womenlawyers-activity-7185951297869598721-a10C?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktophttps://www.facebook.com/internationalbarassociation/videos/951248503144899

In a significant development, diplomat Rhee​ Zha-hyoung has been elected as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in June 2023, while Attorney Baek ​ Kee-bong secured a position at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in December 2023.The year 2023 marked a notable rise in the global standing of the Korean legal community. Commencing this remarkable trend was Rhee Zha-hyoung, former Director-General of the International Legal Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who secured a judgeship at ITLOS in June 2023.  ITLOS, established to resolve disputes related to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, holds a crucial role in maintaining global maritime peace and order. In this election, candidates from Korea, Japan and Iraq competed for two seats in the Asia-Pacific regional group to which Korea belongs. Mr. Rhee was elected along with the Japanese candidate, by securing votes from 144 out of 164 member states that attended and voted in the election. Notably, Rhee Zha-hyoung's election marked the third consecutive time for a Korean judge since ITLOS's inception in 1996. Current status of ITLOS judges: ▴Judge Park Chun-ho (’96-’08), ▴Judge Baek Jin-hyeon (’09-’23, ’17-’20 served as court president), ▴Judge Rhee Zha-hyoung (October ’23-presentRecognizing the pivotal importance of maritime stability for a nation surrounded by the sea on three sides, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that Baek​ Kee-bong's appointment strengthens the foundation to support the maintenance and development of the international maritime order.Building on this success, in December of the same year, Attorney Baek​ Kee-bong achieved another milestone by being elected as a judge at the ICC for the 2024-2033 term. The ICC, as the first permanent international tribunal aimed at punishing serious international crimes, plays a crucial role in realizing international criminal justice. Attorney Baek received an impressive 83 votes out of 123 participating countries at the ICC Conference of States Parties, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.With this achievement, Korea has now advanced a judge to the ICC for the fourth consecutive time since its establishment. The accomplished individuals who have contributed to this success include Judge Song Sang-heon, Judge  Jeong​ Chang-ho, and the newly elected Judge  Baek​ Kee-bong.The biographies of the two esteemed judges, Rhee Zha-hyoung and Baek Kee-bong, reflect their extensive experience and expertise in the legal field, both nationally and internationally.■ Judge Rhee Zha-hyoung's main biography:- 2020.11~ Director-General, International Legal Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs- 2018.1 Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Afghanistan- 2014.12 Counselor, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations- 2013.7 Director, International Law Division, International Law Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs- 2012.6 Policy Manager, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade- 2010.6 Counselor, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Netherlands■ ​Judge Baek Kee-bong's main biography:- 2014-2023 Kim & Chang Law Office- 2011-2014 Senior Legal Advisor, United Nations Office on Drugs and International Crime, Bangkok Branch- 2011 Supreme Prosecutors' Office World Prosecutors' Office Conference Preparatory Secretariat, Foreign Press Spokesperson- 2008-2009 Head of International Legal Affairs Department, Ministry of Justice- 2002-2005 United Nations Office on Drugs and International Crime, Vienna Headquarters, Legal Advisor- 1992-1998 Prosecutor at Seoul, Seosan, Suwon, and Daejeon District Prosecutors' OfficesThese accomplishments underscore the growing influence of Korean legal professionals on the international stage, reflecting positively on the Korean legal community as a whole.​​