S. Korean judge at international maritime tribunal dies

S. Korean judge at international maritime tribunal dies
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details)
SEOUL, Nov. 12 (Yonhap) -- Park Choon-ho, a South Korean scholar known as the
pioneer of Asian maritime law, died Wednesday at his home in Seoul after a battle
with cancer, the Foreign Ministry said. He was 78.
Park, who holds a doctorate in international law from the University of
Edinburgh, served as a judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
since October 1996.
"He had received medical treatment after being diagnosed with cancer early this
year. His condition aggravated recently," a ministry official said.
Park was first elected as a judge to the tribunal in 1996 and re-elected in 2005
for a nine-year term.
Born in Namwon, South Jeolla Province, he initially studied politics at Seoul
National University but soon became interested in maritime law after being
inspired by fishery disputes between South Korea and Japan.
"We admire his lofty, lifetime accomplishment in the field of maritime law,"
foreign ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said in a statement. "We also deliver
words of deep condolence to all of his bereaved family members."
Park will be laid to rest at the National Cemetery in Daejeon, some 160km south
of Seoul, after a funeral on Sunday.
He is survived by his wife and two daughters
lcd@yna.co.kr
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