Croatian Prime Minister Emphasizes "Trade Expert Yoo Myung-hee Candidate, Equipped with Competence"
Following Phone Diplomacy with Colombian President, Sri Lankan Prime Minister, and Guatemalan Vice President
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun. (Photo by Office for Government Policy Coordination, Prime Minister's Secretariat)
[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is continuing his "telephone diplomacy" efforts to support Yoo Myung-hee, the head of the Trade Negotiations Division at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, who is running for the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
On the 23rd, the Office for Government Policy Coordination announced that Prime Minister Chung had a 20-minute phone call with Andrej Plenkovi?, Prime Minister of Croatia, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) for the first half of this year.
Prime Minister Chung requested Prime Minister Plenkovi? to actively support our candidate in the WTO Director-General election.
During the call, Prime Minister Chung emphasized, "Director-General Yoo has the capability to overcome the crises facing the WTO, such as the spread of protectionism and the COVID-19 pandemic," adding, "She is the best candidate to lead the successful reform of the WTO based on her 25 years of expertise in trade."
In response, Prime Minister Plenkovi? said, "I welcome that the Korean candidate has advanced to the final round of the WTO Director-General election," and added, "I understand that many countries are positively evaluating Director-General Yoo's experience and capabilities."
Furthermore, both sides exchanged views on current issues between the two countries, including ▲ economic cooperation related to Korean companies operating in Croatia ▲ human exchanges ▲ high-level exchanges, and agreed to continue close cooperation.
An official from the Prime Minister's Office stated, "The Prime Minister's Office plans to make every effort to ensure the election of our candidate in the WTO Director-General selection process, which is entering its final stages."
Earlier, on the 19th, Prime Minister Chung had phone calls with Iv?n Duque M?rquez, President of Colombia; on the 20th, with Rajapaksa, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka; and with Castillo, Vice President of Guatemala, requesting their support for Director-General Yoo's WTO Director-General election campaign.
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