• Ocean and Polar Research
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.97-108
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• 2005

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) formally came into existence upon the entry into force of the UNCLOS on 16 November 1994. By adopting the Implementing Agreement in 1994, UNCLOS has the universality as a Magna Carta of International Ocean Regime, and the Deep Seabed Mining Regime could be operated as a unique one for the benefit of mankind. During last 10 years, ISA established the institutional framework successfully and made substantial and tangible progress in formulating the rules, regulations and procedures for the prospecting and exploration for polymetally nodules. Furthermore, RPI's obligations had been carried out completely, and the 7 RPI made contract with ISA to become a contractor who has an at least 15 you exclusive right for exploration in their allocated site. However, due to the uncertainty of commercial mining, the number of representatives from developing countries has been getting looser and looser and ISA has a problem of quorum of the Assembly. Land-based producers took a very strong opposite position to the contractors to make their loss in the minimum level. For the next decade, it might be prospected that ISA will focus on monitoring the contractor's activities, making rules, regulations and procedures for exploration on cobalt rich crust, sulphide and methane hydrate and implementing environment studies.

• 한국해양학회지:바다
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.271-279
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• 2008

해저열수광상은 황화물 미네랄이 해저의 열수작용을 통해 형성된 광상을 의미하며 특히, 구리, 납, 아연, 금, 은 등의 금속이 다량 포함되어 있다. 현재 해저열수광상 개발분야의 선두주자는 노틸러스사이다. 노틸러스사는 파푸아뉴기니, 피지, 통가, 솔로몬제도, 뉴질랜드 등 남서태평양 도서국에 약 37만 $km^2$에 달하는 탐사권을 보유 또는 신청해 놓은 상태이다. 넵튠사 역시 뉴질랜드, 파푸아뉴기니, 마이크로네시아에서 27만 $km^2$가 넘는 면적의 탐사권을 취득하였다. 이들 두 광업회사는 2010년 세계 최초로 해저열수광상의 상업생산을 목표로 적극적인 활동을 전개하고 있다. 주변국가인 중국과 일본은 전략광물의 안정적 공급을 위하여 해저열수광상 탐사활동을 적극적으로 수행하고 있는 실정이다. 중국의 경우 중국대양협회를 통해 전 지구 대양을 대상으로 심해저자원개발을 위한 국가연구개발사업을 수행하고 있다. 일본의 경우 자국의 EEZ를 중심으로 해저열수광상 조사사업을 수행하고 있다. 이러한 국제적인 해저열수광상 개발동향을 고려하여 우리나라의 해저열수광상 개발을 위한 전략방향을 소관부처의 일원화와 법제도 정비, 사업추진주체 결정, 정부의 적극적 예산지원, 해저열수광상 개발을 위한 중장기 계획수립 등의 측면에서 제안하였다.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.11-22
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• 2023

For the commercial development of deep-sea mineral resources, the International Seabed Authority is engaged in wide ranging discussions to establish the Regulations on Exploitation. The core issue of the Regulations on Exploitation is how to protect the marine environment along with the royalty system that distributes the profits from such development. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea stipulates the protection of the marine environment in Part 12 (Articles 192-237) for the preservation of the marine environment, and in the 1994 Implementation Agreement, the protection of the marine environment at the stage of application for approval of the plan of work together with the Regulations on Exploration for the protection of the marine environment. For this purpose, certain obligations are imposed on the applicants. In the Regulations on Exploitation, financial systems such as environmental performance guarantee, insurance, and environmental compensation funds, which were not found in the Regulations on Exploration, are added to further specify the measures for marine environment protection generally stipulated in the 1982 Law of the Convention or 1994 Implementation Agreement. Regarding the financial system for marine environment protection, the Marine Environmental Protection and Conservation Informal Working Group meeting is revising the purpose of the environmental compensation fund. Among these financial system elements, it is judged that there is a possibility that the environmental performance guarantee and insurance may overlap considerably, and it is also thought that the establishment of the environmental compensation fund can also provide a substantial sum of money that will meet the purpose of the compensation fund in terms of securing its financial resources. In this paper, the question is posed as to whether or not this can be accomplished. In this respect, this paper examines the environmental performance guarantee, insurance, and environmental compensation fund, which are necessary for the protection of the marine environment of the deep seabed, but which can impose appropriate obligations on contractors for the commercial development of deep seabed mineral resources. At the same time as figuring out how it is operated in relation to relevant domestic laws, I would like to propose a plan to reflect the implications derived from the domestic law operation process in the Regulations on Exploitation.