Yoo Myung-hee's Final Campaign in Geneva... "The Right Person to Restore Multilateralism"

by Moon Chaeseok

Published 17 Oct.2020 06:00(KST)

WTO Secretary-General Candidate Final Round... Results Expected by Early Next Month at the Latest

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Yoo Myung-hee, head of the Trade Negotiations Division at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, who advanced to the final round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretary-General election, conducted last-minute campaigning on the 16th (local time) in Geneva, Switzerland.

That afternoon, she invited about 60 WTO member country ambassadors stationed in Geneva to the Intercontinental Hotel to appeal for their support.

Representatives from the European Union (EU) and Japan also attended the event.

Director Yoo repeatedly emphasized that she is the right person to reform the WTO and restore multilateralism.

She identified key challenges facing the WTO as restoring negotiations among member countries, reorganizing WTO norms, and restoring the dispute settlement process, and stated that she would listen to the opinions of member countries to achieve these goals.

Additionally, she stressed that the WTO must be equipped to respond to global crises such as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Having returned to Geneva on the 13th for election activities, she also invited ambassadors stationed in Geneva from the United States, China, and other countries on the 15th to request their support in the WTO election.

Director Yoo advanced to the final round of the next WTO Secretary-General election alongside Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

After rounds 1 and 2, only two candidates remain out of the original eight, making a fierce competition expected.

The WTO plans to conduct a final preference survey of the two candidates, including Director Yoo, from the 19th to the 27th, and to select the next head by no later than the 7th of next month.

In the final round, the WTO's 164 member countries can express their preference for only one candidate, through which a single candidate will be adopted.