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| Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee departs for Europe at Incheon International Airport, Sunday. Yonhap |
By Do Je-hae
Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, who is trying to become the first Korean and first female chief at the World Trade Organization (WTO), has embarked on a trip to Europe for her next round of campaigning, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
"Minister Yoo is visiting Geneva and Sweden from Sept. 27 until Oct. 2 to seek support of WTO member states with regard to the election of the next WTO director-general," the ministry said in a statement, Sept. 25.
Yoo has been making a series of overseas trips to promote her candidacy, which focuses on the reform of the WTO to make it more resilient, relevant and responsive to the new environment in global trade.
She has underlined the role of middle powers such as Korea to mediate conflict among WTO member states, such as the U.S.-China row, at a time when the international community is becoming more protectionist.
Her latest trip to Europe comes at a critical point in her campaign, as she is competing with four other candidates from Nigeria, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and Britain who recently advanced to the second round of voting, which will be closed Oct. 6. She needs to pass this round to become one of the two final stage candidates. The WTO is aiming to conclude the selection process by early November.
Since announcing her bid in July, Yoo actively disseminated her vision for the WTO through interviews in the international media, including CNN Bloomberg TV, as well as social media activities and webinars.
Cheong Wa Dae and the Korean government have actively supported her campaign, creating a taskforce led by senior presidential aide for policy Kim Sang-jo.
"As the first female trade minister for the Republic of Korea, Yoo has been an innovator, negotiator, strategist and pioneer in her 25-year career in trade," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. "She is a skillful negotiator with deep knowledge and insights into the details of various areas of trade agreements, but more importantly, she has flourished in her role as a catalyst who brings together diverse views of the parties involved to derive win-win solutions."
Sources familiar with her bid said that Seoul's election of Yoo as the candidate for Korea's third bid for the top WTO post reflects the deep trust President Moon has put in Korea's first female trade minister.
