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[외교안보•정치] [송경진 회원] WTO leadership race (The Korea Times 2021.03.09)
Date: 2021-03-09
The Korea Times | 송경진 FN 글로벌이슈센터장, 前 세계경제연구원 원장
입력 2021.03.09
Apart from the COVID-19 pandemic, there was another event in 2020 that Korea should not miss taking stock of, registering the results in our collective memory in order to strive for more refined diplomacy. It was Korea's decision to enter into the race for the director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
There are four criteria that provide useful guidelines for this reflection: the regional rotation rule, broadly applied; competition between candidates; internal and external coordination and communication; and strategic objectives.
The tacit rule of regional rotation has been broadly applied to most multilateral institutions, including the WTO. It will likely remain in the future, unless there is a dramatic rupture in the organization itself. Korea's nomination and its seriousness about it rather surprised the global community. It was widely believed to be Africa's turn to assume leadership this time.
There are four criteria that provide useful guidelines for this reflection: the regional rotation rule, broadly applied; competition between candidates; internal and external coordination and communication; and strategic objectives.
The tacit rule of regional rotation has been broadly applied to most multilateral institutions, including the WTO. It will likely remain in the future, unless there is a dramatic rupture in the organization itself. Korea's nomination and its seriousness about it rather surprised the global community. It was widely believed to be Africa's turn to assume leadership this time.
