Biography

Judge Rhee Zha Hyoung is a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Prior to joining the Tribunal, Judge Rhee served in the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holding key positions in charge of international law such as Director for International Legal Affairs, Chief of the legal team in the Korean Mission to the UN, and Director General for International Legal Affairs. In his capacity at these positions, he has dealt with various legal issues, including law of the sea affairs. He also headed the Korean delegation to numerous intergovernmental meetings and negotiations related to the law of the sea, most recently BBNJ negotiations. He also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from 2018 to 2020.

Academic Background

- LL.B. at College of Law, Seoul National University (1998)
- LL.M. in Environmental and Natural Resources Law, University of Utah, U.S. (1999)
- LL.M. Harvard Law School, U.S. (2000)

Professional Background

- Judge, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (2023.10-present)
- Director-General for International Legal Affairs, Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) (2020-2023)
- Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2018-2020)
- Counsellor, Korean Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York, U.S. (Chief of the Legal Team) (2015-2018)
- Director for International Legal Affairs, MOFA (2013-2015)
- Director for Policy Planning and Coordination, MOFA (2012-2013)
- Counsellor, Korean Embassy to the Kingdom of the Netherlands (2010-2012)