Justice Ministry Signs Dispute Resolution MOU with Cambodia to Protect Korean Businesses and Residents

188 Disputes Involving Korea in Cambodia
20 Local Mediators Invited for Hands-On Training

The Ministry of Justice has established a cooperative framework with Cambodia's Ministry of Justice to help resolve disputes involving Korean companies operating in Cambodia and Korean nationals living there.

The Ministry of Justice said on October 26 that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cambodia's Ministry of Justice on October 23 to cooperate in dispute resolution. The two countries agreed to jointly study mediation systems and legislation and policies related to commercial courts, strengthen the capabilities of public officials and experts in dispute resolution, and promote exchanges among relevant institutions.

Officials from the Ministry of Justice and Cambodia's Ministry of Justice pose for a commemorative photo at the completion ceremony for the 2026 training program for Cambodian mediators and the signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation in dispute resolution, held on the 23rd. Provided by the Ministry of Justice.

The cooperation was launched as demand for dispute resolution in Cambodia rapidly increased. The number of cases received by the National Authority for Alternative Dispute Resolution (NADR) rose from 471 in 2024 to 1,723 last year. The cumulative number of cases received through September this year reached 6,161, including 188 disputes involving Korea as of the end of August.

The Ministry of Justice has supported efforts to improve Cambodia's dispute resolution system since 2021. It completed a draft mediation law in December last year, which Cambodia's Ministry of Justice is currently reviewing. The Cambodian government has also moved to expand mediation, establishing NADR in 2023 to ease court backlogs and improve public access to justice.

Alongside institutional improvements, the Ministry of Justice is supporting efforts to strengthen local mediators' practical skills. From October 19 to 23, it invited 20 mediators from NADR to receive training in mediation techniques and practice, mediator ethics, and international mediation standards. Participants also visited the Press Arbitration Commission and the Korea Institute of Intellectual Property Protection to learn about the operation of dispute resolution systems in Korea.

The Ministry of Justice plans to use the MOU to expand cooperation beyond mediation to commercial dispute resolution. "The success of a mediation system depends on mediators' expertise and ethics," said Kang Junha, director-general of the Ministry of Justice's International Legal Affairs Bureau. "We will further promote policy exchanges and cooperation among experts between the two countries and contribute to the development of Cambodia's dispute resolution system."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.