International Conference of Asia Pacific Lawyers ‘LAWASIA’ Begins in Seoul
SEOUL:- The 39th international conference of LAWASIA—an organization of legal professionals from the Asia and Asia-Pacific regions—is currently underway. The conference has been organized in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, starting from Bhadra 29.
The opening ceremony of the conference—organized by an umbrella organization representing 600 legal professionals from over 30 countries—was addressed by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the President of the Korea Bar Association, and the President of LAWASIA.
Advocate Saroj Krishna Ghimire has been elected to represent Nepal on the executive committee for the 2026–27 term during the conference’s general assembly meeting. This marks the fourth consecutive time Advocate Ghimire has been elected to the executive committee, which serves a one-year term. During the LAWASIA executive committee meeting held on Bhadra 28, Ghimire addressed the committee regarding the recent floods in the Bhote Koshi River in Nepal.
He asserted that the impacts of climate change extend far beyond Nepal, affecting the entire world. Noting the significant role played by developed and industrialized nations in climate change, he also urged the member countries of LAWASIA to provide compensation for the devastation caused by the floods.
The LAWASIA Executive Committee also observed a minute of silence in memory of the Nepali and foreign nationals who lost their lives in the floods. While presenting Nepal’s annual report, LAWASIA General Assembly member and Nepal Bar Association President Bijaya Prasad Mishra stated that the Nepal Bar has maintained an unwavering and steadfast stance regarding the rule of law, human rights, and an independent judiciary, and affirmed that the Association would spare no effort in supporting judicial independence.
At the assembly, LAWASIA President T.L. Yap stated that the organization would assist in raising funds, prioritizing the damage caused by the floods in Nepal.
The conference will continue until Bhadra 31. Mukti Pradhan, Saroj Krishna Ghimire, Resham Raj Regmi, Baburam Aryal, and Uma Tamang presented papers on various topics at the conference.
Ghimire, a newly elected executive committee member of LAWASIA, has announced that the 2027 LAWASIA International Conference will be held in Kathmandu.
Ghimire informed that over 500 legal professionals from around the world would attend the conference, where international lawyers and professors would present papers on various topics—including climate change, the rule of law, human rights, indigenous rights, an independent judiciary, the protection of legal professionals, and professional obligations. He also stated that the official announcement regarding the conference to be held in Nepal would be made during the closing ceremony.
Twenty-one legal professionals from Nepal participated in the said conference.
