Legal rules are generally provided in the abstract terms in order to govern all circumstances as possible. By doing so, however, they are often unclear and misleading, thereby bringing unjustifiable outcomes.
A long time ago, Aristotle, Greek philo...
Legal rules are generally provided in the abstract terms in order to govern all circumstances as possible. By doing so, however, they are often unclear and misleading, thereby bringing unjustifiable outcomes.
A long time ago, Aristotle, Greek philosopher, provided ‘epieikea’ as a legal principle that may solve such a problem. This is what we call ‘equity’ in today's terminology. He mentioned that, although good in general, legal rules are too rigid to be justified in certain circumstances. Thus, in these circumstances, he argued that applying the principle of equity leads to better consequences, in accordance with natural justice, by relieving the rigorousness of legal rules. The principle of equity has been discussed as an important legal principle from ancient Roman times to modern times.
It has been recognized as a general principle in the domestic law of most nations. A number of international courts have also used the principle of equity as one of the adjudicatory norms. Traditionally, under public international law, its legal status has been considered as a general principle of law recognized by civilized nations. The international community has been stipulating the equity in forms of various declarations and conventions in relation to the international law of the sea, international environment law, and international economic law. In particular, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the North Sea Continental Self Case, 1969, affirmed that the principle of equity is an important principle with respect to the maritime delimitation. The International Court of Arbitration in the Anglo-French Arbitration was drawn to conclude that the boundary must be determined in accordance with the principle of equity, in case of the absence of an agreement, as the basic principle of delimitation in customary law.
Unfortunately, the principle of equity was not stipulated in the Third United Nations Law of the Sea Conference. However, when the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea (hereinafter the "LOS Convention") was concluded, international courts constantly ruled that maritime boundaries were delimitated by the principle of equity with regard to relevant circumstances. The principle of equity is codified in Articles 74 and 83 of the LOS Convention, providing an ‘equitable solution’.
It plays two roles with respect to the maritime delimitation. First, the equity plays a corrective role. It provides general rules on maritime delimitation. If the general rules provide unjustifiable consequences, the equity rectifies such rules so as to bring equitable results. On the other hand, the equity plays an autonomous role. It does not provide general rules. The autonomous equity delimits equitable maritime boundaries from the beginning. The ICJ stated that there are no compulsory maritime delimitation rules. Therefore, the method of equidistance is not a obligatory rule, even though such methods generally produce a resonable result.
The ICJ generally takes a compositive stand. Primarily, it first draws a provisional maritime boundary and then approaches by moving or modifying it, if the equity requires so.
A maritime boundary has to be delimited by the principle of equity regarding relevant circumstances. The method of median line or equidistance line considering special circumstances is included in the principle of equity with regard to relevant circumstances. The ICJ in the North Sea Continental Self Case expressed that “there is no legal limit to the considerations which States may take account of for the purpose of making sure that they apply equitable procedures . . . The problem of the relative weight to be accorded to different considerations naturally varies with the circumstances of the case.”
Here, the relevant circumstances that have to be considered are so diverse that we cannot explain what they exactly are. However, we can, at least to some degree, categorize them by analyzing the precedents. The ICJ examined such circumstances by reviewing all the maritime delimitation cases, considering the coastal configuration, coastline and proportionality, the existence of islands, natural resources, the natural extension, the economic considerations, the national security, state practice, and so forth.
The principle of equity has been criticized due to the lack of predictability as a legal rule. Generally, an international court enables us to predict a certain result by suggesting consistent reasoning on relevant circumstances in each case. For instance, it has a tendency not to provide a legal status of an island which is far away from the mainland and also may not consider pure economic factors, i.e. poverty.
The principle of equity in the maritime delimitation plays a role to relax the strict application of legal rules and to offset a marked imbalance. It has been accepted as a general principle of international law in determining the maritime delimitation. The maritime delimitation with a resonable consideration of relevant circumstances has been resolved without any particular problems. All things being considered, this study attempts to objectify the principle of equity through a comprehensive examination on relevant circumstances. This may also provide some sense of ideas with regard to the maritime delimitation in the sea around the Korean Peninsula.