PRESS RELEASE 
 
PRESS/662 
24 May 2012 
 
(12-2723) 
APPELLATE BODY 
WTO appoints new Appellate Body member 
On 24 May 2012 the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) appointed to the seven-member 
Appellate Body Mr. Seung Wha Chang of the Repu blic of Korea for four years commencing on 
1 June 2012. 
Mr. Chang will replace Mr. Shotaro Oshima who re signed from the Appellate Body on 7 January 
2012. Mr. Oshima's resignation was effective as of 6 April 2012. Mr. Oshima had informed the DSB Chairperson that he would not seek reappointment for a second term. 
The appointment was made according to the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) which 
stipulates that the Appellate Body shall “comprise persons of recognized authority, with demonstrated expertise in law, international tr ade and the subject matter of the WTO agreements 
generally.” The DSU also requires that the Appellate Body membership be broadly representative 
of the WTO membership. Candidates were nomi nated by WTO Members and interviewed by a 
Selection Committee comprising the Director-General, and the Chairpersons of the General 
Council, the DSB, the Council for Trade in Goods, the Council for Trade in Services and the TRIPS 
Council. The appointments were made by the DSB on the basis of the Selection Committee's recommendation and following consultations with WTO Members. 
Notes to editors 
1. A biographical note on the new member is below.  Biographical data on all of the Appellate Body 
members and former members may be found on the WTO web site . 
 
2. The Appellate Body hears appeals from dispute settlement panel reports on issues of 
law covered in the panel report and legal interpretations developed by the panel. Three members of the Appellate Body hear and determine any on e appeal. The Appellate Body can uphold, modify 
or reverse the legal findings and conclusions of a panel. Appellate Body reports are adopted by the 
Dispute Settlement Body, and unconditionally accepted by the parties to the dispute, unless there is a consensus against adoption. Since its estab lishment in November 1995, the Appellate Body 
has issued 113 reports  and every report has been adopted. PRESS/662 
Page 2 of 2 
 
 
 Biographical Note — Seung Wha Chang 
Born in Korea on 1 March 1963, Seung Wha Chang is currently Professor of Law at Seoul National 
University where he teaches International Trade Law and International Arbitration.   
 He has served on several WTO dispute settlement panels, including US - FSC , Canada – Aircraft 
Credits and Guarantees , and EC – Trademarks and Geographical Indications .  He has also served 
as Chairman or Member of several arbitral trib unals dealing with commercial matters. In 2009, he 
was appointed by the International Chamber of Co mmerce (ICC) as a Member of the International 
Court of Arbitration. 
 Professor Chang began his professional academic car eer at the Seoul National University School of 
Law in 1995, and was awarded professorial tenure in 2002.  He has taught international trade law 
and, in particular WTO dispute settlement, at more than ten foreign law schools, including Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Stanford Law Sch ool, New York University, Duke Law School, and 
Georgetown University.  In 2007, Harvard Law School granted him an endowed visiting 
professorial chair title, Nomura Visiting Professor of International Financial Systems .   
 
In addition, Professor Chang previously served as a Seoul District Court judge, handling many 
cases involving international trade disciplines.  He also practised as a foreign attorney at an international law firm in Washington D.C., handling international trade matters, including trade 
remedies and WTO-related disputes. 
 Professor Chang has published many books and articl es in the field of International Trade Law in 
internationally-recognized journals.  In addition, he serves as an Editorial or Advisory Board 
Member of the Journal of International Economic Law  (Oxford University Press) and the Journal of 
International Dispute Settlement  (Oxford University Press). 
 
Professor Chang holds a Bachelor of Laws degree ( LL.B.) and a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) from 
Seoul National University School of Law;  and a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) as well as a 
Doctorate in International Trade Law (S.J.D.) from Harvard Law School. 
 
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