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The 15^th ASLI Conference 2018 (hereinafter, "Conference") was hosted by Seoul National University, School of Law (hereinafter, "SNU Law"). The theme for the Conference was "LAW INTO THE FUTURE: PERSPECTIVES FROM ASIA." The Conference and relevant proceedings were held over the course of three days from May 9 to 11, 2018, at the Kwanak campus of Seoul National University in Seoul, Korea. The official dates of the Conference were May 10^th and May 11^th. SNU Law hosted 289 attendees including 216 panel presenters, which was the largest number ever for ASLI’s signature conference since its founding in 2013.

Dean and Professor Hong Sik Cho of SNU Law officially commenced the Conference on May 10^th with a welcoming speech to the attendees, followed by both the Chairman of the ASLI Board of Governors, Dean and Professor Ashgar Ali Ali Mohamed of Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, International Islamic University Malaysia and the Director of the Asian Law Institute Associate Professor Gary F. Bell of National University of Singapore.

The opening session’s keynote speaker was Honorable Sang-Hyun Song, Emeritus Professor of SNU Law, and former President and Judge of the International Criminal Court. His speech was titled "Law and Law Schools into the Future from Asian Perspectives." Professor Song stressed that today's legal education should embrace diversity, strengthen the bonds between law schools and its host communities as well as global society, and engineer a new partnership with innovative science and technology. The full text of his speech is available at SNU School of Law’s website:
http://law.snu.ac.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=promotion&wr_id=208.

Professor Ashgar Ali Ali Mohamed chaired the Conference's open forum on May 10^th. The forum provided an opportunity for the Director of ASLI to update the members of ASLI on the latest developments and invite non-members to join the institute. Associate Professor Dan Puchniak, Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Journal of Comparative Law, likewise gave an update on the journal and its publications. Members and Conference attendees raised several questions and shared their opinions.

Throughout the two official days of the Conference, participants from all over Asia and the rest of the world delivered papers in multiple parallel sessions (often nine or ten) ongoing at any time during the Conference. The parallel sessions covered a variety of subjects, such as legal issues related to recent developments in technology and the digital economy, constitutional law, human rights, corporate law & corporate governance, women and gender law, to name only a few. The Conference also featured 5 pre-arranged panels with diverse topics.

At the official welcoming dinner on May 10th, President Nak-in Sung of Seoul National University, a former dean and professor at SNU Law, delivered his warm welcome and congratulations for the Conference attendees and its organizers. He pointed to SNU’s continuing efforts to broaden its breath and depth academically in Asia and beyond. The dinner’s keynote speaker was Honorable Justice Il-Won Kang of the Constitutional Court of Korea. Justice Kang enlightened the audience with his talk on "Global Constitutionalism in Asia", drawing from his experience as a Justice of the Court.

At the start of the second official day of the Conference, May 11^th, Honorable Justice Soon-Il Kwon of the Supreme Court of Korea gave the Conference's distinguished lecture titled "Revisiting the 'Rule of Law' Literature from a Korean Perspective: Advancements, Setbacks, and Challenges." Justice Kwon emphasized the role of law and the legal system in today’s dynamic and fast-paced society, particularly in terms of providing the necessary stability and predictability. The full text of his speech is provided at SNU School of Law’s website:
http://law.snu.ac.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=promotion&wr_id=209;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM_HFMEt5k4&feature=youtu.be (video).

The closing ceremony of the Conference on May 11^th featured remarks from Professor Kon Sik Kim, the Chair of the Conference Preparatory Committee at SNU School of Law, and Associate Professor Gary F. Bell. Dean and Professor Simon Chesterman of National University of Singapore previewed the 16^th ASLI Conference in 2019 and affirmed the school’s commitment for next year's event.

Before gathering at THE PLAZA hotel for the optional banquet that evening, Conference attendees were able to enjoy a private tour of Deoksugung Palace, one of the major royal palaces in the heart of downtown Seoul. At the banquet, Honorable O-Gon Kwon, the President of the Korean Society of Law and the President of the Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court delivered a keynote speech with the title of "Implementing Justice and Rule of Law through Shared Efforts: A Vision for Asia."

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the professionalism and efforts of ASLI, its leadership, and wonderful staff that were integral in making this Conference possible. We would also like to convey our appreciation to all who worked hard to make this Conference a success, including the SNU Law staff and volunteers (students) that worked tirelessly behind the scenes before and during the Conference. SNU Law proudly notes that all four of the Conference's distinguished and keynote speakers from Korea are the school’s alumni, and we thank them for participating in the event. Finally, we wish only the best for the organizers of the 16^th ASLI Conference, and look forward to continuing our participation in the ASLI conferences as a proud member of the institute.