Yoo Myung-hee, Chief Trade Negotiator, Advances to 2nd Round of WTO Director-General Election

Second Round from 24th to 6th Next Month
Competing with Candidates from Nigeria, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, UK, and More

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Yoo Myung-hee, the Chief Negotiator for Trade, has advanced to the second round of the selection process for the next World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General, which took place from the 7th to the 16th.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 18th, the WTO Secretariat officially announced Yoo's advancement to the second round. As a result of the competition among candidates from eight countries from July to early September, candidates from Mexico, Egypt, and Moldova, who had low support in the first round, were eliminated. Five candidates, including Korea, Nigeria, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom, advanced to the second round.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "Yoo's advancement to the second round is evaluated as a result of her qualifications and expertise as the current Minister of Trade, Korea's elevated status through successful responses to COVID-19 such as K-quarantine, and the collaborative support led by a government-wide task force (TF) involving the Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and overseas missions from the early stages."

So far, Yoo has contacted and requested support from ministerial and ambassadorial-level officials of over 140 member countries through two visits to Europe, including Geneva, and a visit to the United States.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs formed a triangular channel between the Permanent Mission in Geneva and various overseas missions, conducting multifaceted lobbying activities to gain support for Yoo from 163 WTO member countries, their Geneva missions, and their missions in Korea. Additionally, at the level of summit diplomacy, they actively promoted the strengths of our candidate through calls and meetings.

In the upcoming second round, after consultations among member countries regarding the five candidates, the final two candidates will advance to the final round. Each member country can express preference for only two candidates, making the competition expected to be even fiercer.

The second round is scheduled to begin on the 24th and continue until October 6th. The subsequent schedule will be finalized through consultations between the Chair of the WTO General Council, who oversees the selection process, and WTO member countries.

The government plans to continue its government-wide support and efforts to assist Yoo's election campaign going forward.