The Korea Herald

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Chief justices of Asia-Pacific nations meet in Seoul

By 이지윤

Published : June 12, 2011 - 19:55

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The chief justices of 30 Asia-Pacific nations launched a five-day conference in Seoul on Sunday to discuss the present and future of the region's judiciaries.

More than 100 people from 33 countries took part in the 14th Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific, starting with a welcome reception at the Grand Hyatt Seoul.

South Korea's Supreme Court is hosting the biennial conference for the second time, after it hosted the eighth meeting in 1999.

Chief Justice Lee Yong-hoon is scheduled to lead the first session on Monday with a presentation on South Korea's use of information technology in its judicial system.

Among the participants are the chief justices of China, Russia, New Zealand and Malaysia. 

The Southeast Asian nation has shown a special interest in South Korea's ongoing trial of five Somali pirates, who were recently convicted of hijacking a South Korean-owned freighter earlier this year. Malaysia is also preparing to put seven Somali pirates on trial.

The conference has 48 member nations, including Canada as an observer. (Yonhap News)