Sanh-Hyun Song (Former President of the International Criminal Court)

Former President of the International Criminal Court
Professor Emeritus, Seoul National University School of Law


Sang-Hyun Song served as an Appeals Judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) from 2003 to 2015, and was elected President of the Court in 2009, a position he held until 2015. As President, Song played a pivotal role in enhancing the ICC’s international cooperation and outreach, strengthening its global presence and credibility, and developing the Court’s administrative frameworks. During his presidency, the ICC made significant efforts to hold high-ranking officials and political leaders accountable for serious international crimes.

Sang-Hyun Song had established himself as a distinguished legal academic before his service at the ICC. He earned his first degree from Seoul National University, followed by postgraduate degrees from Tulane Law School and Cornell Law School (J.S.D.). He taught at the Seoul National University College of Law for over three decades and administered the school as its Dean in 1996-1998. By way of visiting professorships and lectureships at various institutions worldwide, including Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, New York University School of Law, and the University of Melbourne, Sang-Hyun Song markedly contributed to expanding the global outreach of Korean jurisprudence and enriching comparative legal studies.

Since retiring from the ICC, Sang-Hyun Song has continued to engage actively in international legal and humanitarian efforts. He has taken on advisory roles in various national and international organizations and NGOs dedicated to the promotion of justice and human rights, including the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea, where he served as Chair of the Advisory Committee, and the Korean Committee for UNICEF also as its Chair.