Speaker details

Biography

Hong-Sik (Justin) Chung is a tenured law professor and currently serves as Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, overseeing the International Legal Affairs Department. The Department comprises three divisions and is responsible for a broad spectrum of international legal matters, including: (i) defending ISDS cases brought against the government; (ii) handling international litigation and commercial arbitration cases involving the state; (iii) advising ministries, government agencies, and state-owned enterprises on international legal matters; (iv) negotiating and concluding bilateral investment treaties (BITs) with foreign counterparts; and (v) participating in the development of international legal instruments under UNCITRAL, HCCH, and UNIDROIT. As a law professor, Justin has taught international commercial and investment law, private international law, and international arbitration for nearly two decades. Particularly, he has developed significant expertise in construction and energy law, demonstrated by his numerous related books and peer-reviewed articles and by founding and successfully running the Korean Society of International Construction & Energy Law since 2013 as its President. Prior to his government appointment, Justin was an active international arbitrator, listed as a panel arbitrator with HKIAC, KCAB, and SIAC, as well as a panel conciliator with ICSID. Before transitioning to academia in 2006, he practiced law in the United States for more than five years, gaining experience in cross-border transactions and dispute resolution.