Anchor: South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee has advanced to the final round in the race to lead the World Trade Organization(WTO). Bloomberg quoted unidentified sources as saying on Wednesday that Yoo will compete against the candidate from Nigeria for the top seat. 
Park Jong-hong has this report.

Report: The World Trade Organization will likely have its first woman at the helm in its 25-year history.

Ahead of the official announcement of the finalist, overseas news agencies such as AFP and Bloomberg reported Thursday that the final two vying for the top post are South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee and Nigeria’s Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Both beat out formidable candidates from six other countries including Britain, Saudi Arabia and Kenya.

Experts say the two women are locked in a close race with each bringing a lot of experience to the global trade body.

Yoo has specialized solely in trade and commerce for 25 years and her current post is expected to appeal to member countries of the WTO. Also South Korea’s strong national status around the world backed by its notable handling of COVID-19 may prove to be positive in garnering support.

On the other hand, Okonjo-Iweala has served two terms as the finance minister of Nigeria and a single term as the foreign affairs minister. Although she has no experience in trade, she is reportedly well versed in politics. She also spent 25 years at the World Bank. 

The third and final phase of the consultation process will reportedly begin later this month and run until around November 6, after which the WTO will try to select the new director-general through a consensus. 

In the third and final round, each of the 164 WTO members will express its support for one of the two finalists. 

With African countries accounting for more than 40 members in the WTO, some experts say they may rally around the Nigerian candidate.
Park Jong-hong, KBS World Radio News.