A Study on the Recent Amendment to the Arbitration Rules of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board

대한상사중재원(KCAB) 중재규칙의 최근 개정내용에 관한 고찰

The Korean Commercial Arbitration Board ("KCAB") recently amended its 'International Arbitration Rules' and the 'Arbitration Rules', which became effective on September 1, 2011. Under the amendment, the 'Arbitration Rules' will be referred to as the 'Domestic Arbitration Rules' and in principle apply only to domestic arbitration cases. Accordingly, the amendment removed all of the provisions relating to international arbitration cases. In addition, under the amendment, the 'International Arbitration Rules' will automatically apply to all international arbitration cases unless the parties agree otherwise. The amended 'International Arbitration Rules' establish new expedited procedures for the international arbitration cases before the KCAB. The KCAB has also instituted additional changes related to international arbitration cases including reduction in the filing and administrative fees and appointment of prominent international foreign arbitrators on its panel. The remuneration for arbitrators has also increased to bring them more in line with the fees provided by other leading international arbitration institutions. While several problems remain, these most recent revisions must be seen as a step in the right direction for the KCAB.