Two compelling female finalists heat up race for WTO director-general

For the first time, Korea has produced a finalist in the race for the head of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The distinction achieved by Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee is raising hopes (among her countrymen) of a first-ever Korean to lead the global trade body, after two previous bids in the mid 1990s and 2013.

 

finalist: 마지막 후보 countrymen: 같은 나라 사람(동포) bids: 응시, 입찰

Minister Yoo and Nigerian-born economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a U.S. citizen, were recently shortlisted from a pool of candidates with sterling credentials to enter the final round of the selection process for WTO director-general, which take place between Oct. 19 and Oct. 27. The result of the race is expected to be announced early November.

 

shortlist: 최종후보에 넣다. sterling: 훌륭한, 파운드화 credentials: 자격, 자격증, 경력

 

To be selected as the chief of the WTO, it is important that a candidate is not veto(ed) by any member country, according to presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok.

 

veto: 거부권을 행사하다.

In this regard, concerns have been rising here that an ongoing trade dispute at the WTO between Korea and Japan, as well as other bilateral conflicts with the neighboring country, could negatively influence the final stages of her campaign.

 

bilateral: 쌍방의

 

Focus on credentials & vision for WTO

Tension has been on the rise between the two Asian neighbors on outstanding issues from their shared history, such as the compensation for Korean victims of wartime forced labor as well as sexual slavery during Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of Korea. But some experts say the diplomatic and trade disputes between the two countries do not necessarily mean that they cannot find common ground on timely and global challenges such as WTO reform.

 

compensation: 보상 occupation: 점령, 직업 diplomatic: 외교의 necessarily: 반드시 ~하다

timely: 시기적절한, 때맞춘

"The diplomatic issues have driven the two countries apart, but that does not mean Japan has turned its back on all issues regarding Korea," Ahn Duk-geun, a professor of international trade law and policy at the Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University, told The Korea Times. "For example, Tokyo recently eased entry restrictions on business people traveling from Korea. On some issues, there is contention, but on others, cooperation is ongoing between the two countries. In particular, Japan has taken a very active part in the discussions on WTO reform. Whoever ends up in the final round, Japan is expected to make a final decision from a bigger perspective."

 

ease: 풀다. 편하게 하다. contention: 논쟁, 주장 cf) contend: 주장하다

Since Yoo announced her bid in June, she has faced questions from the international media about her thoughts on how her country's conflicts with Japan may influence her campaign. But she has underlined the similarities of the two countries as two of Asia's biggest beneficiaries of free trade and has been reaching out to her colleagues in Japan, asking them to focus on her qualifications and vision.

 

underline: 강조하다, 밑줄 긋다. beneficiary: 수혜자, 이익관계자 qualifications: 능력, 자격

 
"I believe that the Japan factor is something that our candidate will ultimately be able to overcome," an expert in international trade studies said. Japan has not overtly protested Yoo's candidacy so far.

 

overtly: 명백하게, 공공연하게 candidacy: 입후보, 출마