USTR Explains Why US Prefers Yoo for WTO Director-General

The U.S. supports South Korea's Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee rather than the Nigerian candidate for director-general, even though the latter has more support, because the World Trade Organization “must be led with someone with real, hands-on experience in the field,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in an Oct. 28 statement, saying “the WTO is badly in need of major reform,” and that Yoo is a “bona fide trade expert.”

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters Oct. 29 that he supports the administration's backing of Yoo. “The South Korean candidate has great experience in trade negotiations compared to the Nigerian candidate,” he said. “It’s very important that we have the top-notch people to bring about the reform that’s necessary if the WTO's going to be a viable organization -- and right now it’s not very viable.” Former World Bank economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the Nigerian candidate (see 2010280051).