By Korea’s candidate for Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Yoo Myung-hee, has withdrawn from the race, leaving Nigeria’s representative, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala as the only candidate for the position.
The South Korean Trade Minister, in a statement on Friday, said she had been “in consultation with major countries such as the United States” over the consensus vote to become the next director general of the WTO.
The 66-year-old economist is widely supported by top officials in the organisation but her selection was blocked by the Trump administration in 2020.
The opposition from the US halted the selection process because WTO decisions are reached based on consensus of all members.
After Biden’s inauguration in January, the US, however, called for a swift appointment of the next WTO DG.
If confirmed, Okonjo-Iweala would be the first woman and first African to lead the organization in its 25-year history.
