WT/MIN(15)/W/9  
 
11 November 2015  
(15-5975)  Page: 1/2  
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: English  
 
 PROPOSAL ON MC10 MINISTERIAL DECLARATION - PART III 
The following communication, dated 11 November 2015, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the Republic of Korea. 
 
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1. Korea stands as a firm supporter of the prin ciples and objectives underlying the multilateral 
trading system embodied in the WTO. While recognizing the significant achievements of the WTO over the past 20 years in all areas of its work, we are mindful of the challenges it faces especially 
regarding its negotiating function.  
 2. There exist widely differing perspectives on  the negotiating function of the WTO and in 
particular the future of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations. Although we remain 
hopeful, it seems unlikely that the Members will be able to reach a common understanding on this question in the remaining time before the 10
th Ministerial Conference (MC10) in December in 
Nairobi. 
 
3. Korea believes that preserving the negotiating function of the WTO is a matter of paramount importance on which MC10 should place special attention. Addressing this issue should start with 
acknowledging the reality as it is while respecting di fferent views, followed by a period of reflection 
and frank discussion to identify a way forward.  
4. It is in this context that we submit the follow ing textual proposal as an attempt to be true to 
the reality and chart a process to revitalize the negotiating function of the WTO. We propose the following course of action, not because we believe it is ideal or most desirable, but because we hope our proposal can provide a basis for endeavors to properly address the outstanding DDA 
issues and put the WTO's negotiating function back on track. 
 5. Korea reserves the right to make modifications to the proposal subject to the evolution of 
the discussions. 
 
1  PART III - POST-NAIROBI WORK 
1.1.  We reaffirm our commitment to the WTO as the primary forum for trade negotiations, the 
implementation of rules, the fight against protec tionism, dispute settlement, and the promotion of 
sustainable development through the integration of developing countries into the global trading 
system. 
1.2.  On the future of the Doha Development Agen da and the negotiating function of the WTO, we 
take note of significantly different perspectives, which remain very difficult to reconcile. Despite 
candid discussions and serious efforts, we have ye t to reach an agreement on this key question. 
1.3.  We nonetheless agree that the outstanding issues of the DDA should continue to be 
addressed in the WTO. We reaffirm the principle that the core sensitivities of Members should be 
respected, including through appropriate special and differential treatment and less than full 
reciprocity for developing countries, which is essential to helping Members reach a consensus in trade negotiations. WT/MIN(15)/W/9 
 
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  1.4.  Based on this common understanding, we instruct the officials to continue deliberations on 
how best to deal with these issues, with the aim of agreeing on a way forward before the end of 
2016. We ask them to identify a negotiating approach conducive to an agreement, while taking advantage of the significant progress which has been made so far, including Ministerial 
Declarations and other Decisions adopted in the context of the DDA, to the extent that it 
contributes to building consensus. 
1.5.  We agree that the WTO should have the abilit y to take on, at least on an exploratory basis, 
any trade-related issues deemed necessary in order to stay relevant and in keeping with the 
evolution of the global economy. We further agree to undertake the exploration of such issues in a 
manner that does not undermine the ongoing work to deal with outstanding issues. 
1.6.  We underscore the ever-growing importance of coherence in global economic policy-making, 
which was well articulated in the Declaration on the Contribution of the WTO to Achieving Greater 
Coherence in Global Economic Policy Making adopted in Marrakesh in April 1994. We welcome recent initiatives for cooperation with other international organizations, and encourage the further 
strengthening of such collaboration in pursuit of common objectives such as promoting sustainable 
development through trade. 
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