문 대통령, 유명희 지원 강행군... 각국 정상들과 줄줄이 통화<br /><br />Back at the nation's top office, the South Korean president was also busy making endorsement requests to his counterparts around the world.<br />He's been engaged in "telephone diplomacy" for the last couple of weeks seeking endorsement for Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee's bid for the top job at WTO.<br />Our Hong Yoo reports.<br />President Moon Jae-in has been busy holding phone calls with many world leaders of late.<br />Within the past three days alone, Moon has spoken with six leaders...mainly to ask for their support in voting for South Korea's Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee as the next head of the World Trade Organization.<br />He started the week by talking with the Prime Minister of Malaysia, then with the leaders of Luxembourg, Italy, and Egypt on Tuesday, and with four others through Thursday.<br />It is quite unusual for the President to have more than two diplomacy phone calls with world leaders in one day.<br />But Moon is doing all he can to back Yoo...who faces stiff competition from Nigerian candidate Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala...a well-known figure in the international community who worked for the World Bank for 25 years.<br />Okonjo-Iweala has the full support of African countries and major European states.<br />But with the final round scheduled to end next Tuesday, President Moon has also asked Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and his predecessor Lee Nak-yeon to appeal to their counterparts around the world to back Yoo's bid.<br />Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok said Wednesday that President Moon has continuously highlighted Yoo's expertise, devotion to multilateralism as well as her political influence.<br />This year, South Korea has become a global role model due to its effective containment of COVID-19.<br />Now, it hopes to check its status in the international community through the WTO Director-General election.<br />But even if Minister Yoo's bid is unsuccessful, making it to the final round is still something to be commended.<br />Hong Yoo, Arirang News.<br />
