CEOs of KEB, SC First Praise BOK Chief’s English

By Kim Jae-won

Staff Reporter

Two foreign bank chiefs said in unison that new Bank of Korea (BOK) Governor Kim Choong-soo’s English is excellent, with one of them saying that Kim would prove to be competent enough to preside over the central bankers’ meeting as part of the G-20 meeting to be hosted by Korea.

Their assessments came during a get-together Wednesday at the BOK.

The former ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) greeted bank CEOs. They included Larry Klane of Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) and Richard Hill of Standard Chartered First Bank.

The head of the BOK exchanged greetings with the two. Klane said in Korean, "I am the CEO of KEB.’’ Kim responded in English and had no problem in making himself understood.

The chief executive of SC First Bank praised Kim’s English skills. "He was perfect. His English is top class. I’m sure he is the right person to lead G-20 meetings,’’ Hill told The Korea Times.

"As I know, his English is quite advanced. He was a Korean ambassador to the OECD, so I am sure that he can chair international meetings in English,’’ Jung Hee-sik, director general of the press office at the BOK, said.

Kim was selected to succeed Lee Seong-tae as BOK governor starting in April and some said that his selection was partially based on his international expertise ahead of the G-20 summit to be held in Korea in November.

외환은, SC 제일은행장등 한은총재 영어 칭찬

두 외국은행 행장인 이구동성으로 한국은행 신임 총재의 영어가 훌륭하다고 말했다. 한 행장은 한국이 주최하는 G-20 정상회담의 일부로 갖는 중앙은행 총재 회의를 영어로 주재할 만큼 능력이 있음을 증명해 주었다고 말했다.

이들의 평가는 수요일 한은에서 가진 모임에서 나왔다. OECD 대사였던 김 총재는 은행장들과 상견례를 가졌다. 이들 중에는 래리 클레인 외환은행장과 리차드 힐ㄹ 스탠더드 차터드 제일은행장이 있었다.

김총재가 이들 둘과 인사하자 클라인은 한국말로 “외환은해장입니다”라고 말했다. 김총재는 영어로 영어로 알아듣는데 문제가 없다고 응대했다.

SC 제일은행장은 김총재의 영어를 칭찬하면서 “김총재의 영어는 완벽해요. 정상급입니다. G-20회의를 이끌 적임자라고 확신합니다”라고 말했다.

정희식 한은 공보관은 “내가 알기로는 총재의 영어는 아주 고급입니다. OECD 대사로 국제회의를 영어로 주재할 수 있다”고 말했다.