On October 28, 2025, the Seminar on China-ROK Maritime Arbitration Cooperation (Seminar), jointly hosted by Korea Maritime & Ocean University, the Asia-Pacific Maritime Arbitration Center of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, and the Busan Metropolitan City Government, was successfully held in Busan, South Korea. Dr. Li Hu, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CMAC, was invited to attend and deliver a keynote speech.

(Group photo of the distinguish guests)

At the opening ceremony, Jeon Jae Soo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, Park Heong Joon, Mayor of Busan, and Kwak Kyu Taek, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, delivered opening speeches respectively. They expressed expectations for further deepening cooperation and exchanges between China and ROK in the field of maritime arbitration, and extended their gratitude to CMAC for its participation and support.

At the Seminar, Dr. Li Hu delivered a keynote speech on the topic of The Importance and Development of China Maritime Arbitration. He introduced the achievements made by CMAC in rule innovation, institutional development, and international cooperation. He emphasized that maritime arbitration, with advantages such as high efficiency, flexibility, and cross-border enforceability of awards, plays a pivotal role in international shipping and trade, and there is broad space for cooperation in maritime arbitration between China and ROK. He proposed that both sides strengthen synergetic collaboration, share practical experiences, and jointly enhance arbitration efficiency. He also called for jointly participation in international rule-making to advance the development of regional economic and trade cooperation toward greater standardization, rule of law, and modernization.

(Dr. Li Hu delivered a keynote speech)

The panel discussion was moderated by Cheong Young Seok, Professor at from Korea Maritime and Ocean University. Hong Huimin, Deputy Director of CMAC Business Development Division, participated as a panelist. She outlined the fundamental principles, service scope, and operational models of the development of China’s maritime arbitration, and further explored the positive role of maritime arbitration in boosting the growth of the shipping economy, offering insights and recommendations for advancing maritime arbitration to better serve the economic and trade development between China and the ROK.

This Seminar brought together nearly 100 participants from the maritime, arbitration, and business communities of China and the ROK. They held in-depth exchanges on the applicability of maritime arbitration, the improvement of diversified maritime dispute resolution mechanisms, and the deepening of China-ROK maritime arbitration cooperation, and reached extensive consensus on these topics.