On September 13, Chung-Ang University held the opening ceremony for the 21st LAWASIA (The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific) International Moot Competition, the most prestigious legal competition in the Asia-Pacific region, at Building 302 (Graduate School Building) on its Seoul Campus to mark its 110th anniversary.
This year's competition was jointly organized by LAWASIA (The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific), the representative organization for legal professionals in the region, and Chung-Ang University's Office of Development and Alumni Affairs. Around 150 participants—including law students and faculty advisors from leading universities across the Asia-Pacific region (such as South Korea, Australia, Japan, Singapore, India, and Malaysia), as well as international arbitration experts and sitting judges—attended the event.
In step with the rapidly changing global trade environment and digital transformation, this year's competition presented contemporary international legal issues—such as international commercial arbitration and AI-based contract disputes—as virtual moot court problems. Participants engaged in fierce oral pleadings and written submissions mirroring real international trial practice. The panel of judges, composed of prominent legal figures invited from various countries, evaluated the teams across multiple dimensions, including factual analysis, application of legal doctrines, and advocacy demeanor.
The event held extra significance as a symbolic international academic event celebrating the university's 110th anniversary. Through this competition, our university reaffirmed its position as a world-class educational institution and a global academic platform.
Chair of the LAWASIA Moot Standing Committee Raphael Tay stated, "I express my deep gratitude to President Park Se-hyun and Chung-Ang University personnel for their unstinting support and warm hospitality, which made it possible to successfully hold this competition in an outstanding academic environment." He added, "I hope this competition serves as an invaluable opportunity for young legal professionals to transcend borders and languages, share the universal values of justice and the rule of law, and forge a better tomorrow for future generations with fortitude."
Dean of the Law School Jung Hong-sik remarked, "I warmly welcome all the teams who made it to the main rounds of the 21st LAWASIA International Moot Competition, which addresses timely issues such as artificial intelligence (AI) and international commercial disputes to hone practical advocacy skills." He added, "I hope this competition serves as a meaningful ground for learning and challenge—one that allows participants not only to expand their legal expertise but also to foster international exchanges and lasting friendships with peers from diverse legal backgrounds."
Executive Director of University Advancement Lee Moo Yeol, who attended the opening ceremony on behalf of President Park Se-hyun, stated, "It is deeply meaningful to host the LAWASIA Moot Competition—an intellectual feast for law students across the Asia-Pacific region—on our campus during this monumental year of the 110th anniversary." He added, "We hope that all participating young legal professionals will transcend borders to share the values of the rule of law and justice, and grow into key leaders who shape the future global legal community."
Meanwhile, the 21st LAWASIA International Moot Competition was conducted over three days, starting from the main rounds on the 14th to the grand final on the 16th.
Our university hosted the 6th competition in 2011 with great success, and the university plans to further bolster its international competitiveness by expanding strategic partnerships with various global institutions.