Former Trade Minister Bark Tae-ho entered the second-round competition for the post of the World Trade Organization director-general, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

“The WTO announced on Friday that Bark passed the first-round competition for WTO’s top post with four candidates from Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil and New Zealand,” the ministry said. 

Four of the nine candidates from Jordan, Ghana, Kenya and Costa Rica were dropped in the first round.

The WTO will select the final candidate through two more rounds by the end of May, the ministry added.

The final candidate will succeed the current Pascal Lamy whose second four-year term of office expires on Aug. 31 this year. The new chief’s four-year term begins the next day. The WTO director-general can serve up to two consecutive terms.

The ministry said pan-government efforts and support will be made to help Bark’s bid succeed.

Regarding experiences in the multilateral trade policy, Bark participated in the Uruguay Round negotiations that led to the launch of the WTO, served as trade committee chair between 2007 and 2010. He has served as an ambassador for the nation’s economic and trade affairs since March this year.
By Seo Jee-yeon  (jyseo@heraldcorp.com)