Korean Minister for Trade Yoo Myung-hee is one of the two finalists for the post of director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Quoting people familiar with matter, Bloomberg on Oct. 7 reported on this in the article "Race to WTO Leadership Is Down to the Final Two Candidates."
The other competitor is former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The WTO will formally announce the results on Oct. 8 at a closed meeting in Geneva.
The global body will have its first female chief since both candidates are women. If Minister Yoo is selected, she will become the first Korean to head the WTO.
William Reinsch, a trade official under the U.S. Clinton administration and senior adviser to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said, "They're both very well qualified, it is going to be a fight," adding that the top challenge is "restoring the organization to full strength and viability, and restoring its reputation."
The third and final phase of the appointment process begins later this month and ends on Nov. 6, when 164 WTO member countries can express a preference for one candidate only.
