WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/14 
1 December 2009 
 (09-6071) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
REPUBLIC OF KOREA 
 
Statement by Mr Jong-Hoon Kim
 
Minister for Trade  
   It is an honour for me to address this Sevent h Ministerial Conference.  I would like to thank 
Director-General Pascal Lamy, Chairman of th e Conference, Minister Andres Velasco, and the 
WTO Secretariat for their unrelenting dedication and hard work in preparing for this Ministerial 
Conference.   Under the multilateral trading system led by  the GATT/WTO, we have enjoyed the steady 
development of global economy and trade.  From 1947 to 1995, the annual average growth rate in 
world exports recorded 6.2 per cent, while the GDP scored 3.9 per cent.  The world merchandise trade 
recorded approximately US$3.3 trillion in 2008, a triple score from that of 1995. 
  However, the unprecedented financial crisis wh ich sparked last year has dealt the greatest 
blow to the world economy since World War II, resu lting in severe recession.  The IMF forecasts that 
world economy will shrink by 1.1 per cent and that  world merchandise trade will decrease by 12 per 
cent this year.  Moreover, the WTO has recently revi sed its forecast on the growth rate of the world 
trade in goods to contract by almost 12 per cent instead of 10 per cent.  These figures give us a better grasp on how serious the recent economic crisis is if we look back on the first and second oil shocks 
in the 1970s when world trade decreased by 2 to 4 per cent. 
  Therefore, it is very timely and significant that, at this Ministerial Conference, we review the 
role of the multilateral trading system that seeks ways to promote economic recovery and sustainable 
growth.  In particular, the successful conclusion of  the DDA negotiations and the strengthening of the 
multilateral trading system are now more crucial tasks than ever. 
  Throughout this year, world leaders have expressed their strong political commitment to 
concluding the DDA negotiations by 2010 on a number of occasions, including the 17
th APEC 
Summit in Singapore, the G-20 Summit in Pittsburg h, and the G-8 Summit in L'Aquila.  We have 
come a long way in the DDA negotiations.  In partic ular, a great deal of progress has been made on 
the modalities for Agriculture and Non-Agricultu ral Market Access (NAM A).  With sufficient 
goodwill and political commitment, as clearly expressed by many Ministers, I sense that we have a 
good chance of concluding the negotiations by 2010. 
  In order to meet this deadline, we need to agree on the modalities for Agriculture and NAMA 
by early 2010.  To this end, a more proactive engage ment of our Ministers is required.  So far, we, the 
Ministers have placed emphasis on the direction of  negotiations and focused on garnering political 
will.  Now, we need to shift the gear into acti on mode to get into substantial issues and narrow the 
gaps.  We recall that the Leaders at the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh and the APEC Summit in 
Singapore called for stocktaking of the DDA negotiati ons no later than early 2010.  In this regard, it WT/MIN(09)/ST/14 
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  would be advisable to convene a Trade Ministers meeting early next year to assess the progress and 
add momentum to the negotiations on modalities.  Ko rea, as a host country for the Fifth G-20 Summit 
in November 2010, will exert its utmost efforts to make the Summit contribute to the early conclusion 
of the DDA negotiations (as it has done in dealing with the economic crisis).  
 We are at a critical juncture in the process of the DDA negotiations.  If we are to complete the 
DDA by 2010, I believe that there are a number of issues that we should keep in mind.  First, our 
future negotiations should be built upon the progress ma de to date.  Any attempt to reopen the issues 
already agreed will cause a detour in our negotiations .  Second, we need to set for an ambitious and 
balanced outcome which properly reflects the politi cal and economical sensitivities of each Member 
country. 
  Korea stands ready to contribute to achievi ng extensive market access in industrial goods.  
Yet, the sensitivity in agricultura l and fisheries sectors should be addressed.  In order to secure a 
balanced outcome in all negotiating areas, impr oved market access in non-agricultural goods and 
services, stronger rules on anti-dumping and an effective trade facilitating scheme are imperative.  As 
for the rules on fisheries subsidies, the focus should be on how to facilitate a sound fisheries 
management system and secure a sustainable leve l of fisheries resources rather than on banning a 
wide range of subsidies per se . 
  We all acknowledge that development lies at the very heart of the DDA negotiations.  We 
strongly believe that trade liberalization supports  the development goal by connecting developing 
countries to global economy.  Moreover, this Roun d should serve to further integrate developing 
countries into the multilateral trading system and fu lly reap the fruits of trade liberalization.  
Furthermore, in order for developing countries to fully  enjoy the benefits of trade liberalization, there 
is a need to expand Aid for Trade with the aim of  helping developing countri es, particularly LDCs, 
enhance their supply-side capacity and trade-related infrastructure. 
  Korea is a sample case that demonstrates the validity and effectiveness of economic development policy centred on trade liberalizati on and capacity enhancement.  Since Korea acceded 
to the GATT in 1967, its GDP has soared 230-fold  and its trade 654-fold.  Once a beneficiary of 
foreign aid, Korea has now become a donor to various official development assistance (ODA) 
activities including Aid for Trade.  We are now willing to share our development experience with 
other developing countries to assist them in joini ng the virtuous circle.  In addition, Korea is 
determined to fulfil its pledge to tr iple the volume of its 2008 ODA by 2015. 
  The rules-based WTO system has contributed to  the steady growth of world trade by raising 
transparency and predictability in trade as well as preventing Member countries from taking trade 
restrictive measures against WTO ru les.  Furthermore, since the economic crisis of 2008, the WTO 
has fulfilled an effective role in keeping protec tionism at bay by its monitoring activities, in 
facilitating greater availability of trade finance and expanding Aid for Trade.   And yet, the WTO system faces challenges from inside and outside on the efficiency of the 
decision-making process or the transparency and in clusiveness in its activities, to name a few. 
  There is no simple solution to address the vari ous challenges facing the WTO.  We may start 
by setting up an institutional arrangement to garner  all the efforts and ideas to develop a more 
transparent, efficient, and better WT O that works for all of us.  In this context, I would like to note 
that Korea co-sponsored a proposal (WT/MIN(09)/W /1) in October for establishing an appropriate 
deliberative process to discuss such issues.  We believe that this proposal provides a good basis to 
start the work at once.   WT/MIN(09)/ST/14 
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   We are gathered here for the first time in four years since the Hong Kong Ministerial 
Conference in 2005.  We must not waste this pr ecious moment if we are determined to attain 
economic recovery and future pros perity.  We must reaffirm our belief that the WTO has competence 
in creating new and real opportunities for the world.  I do hope that we, as Ministers will fully utilize 
this occasion to pool our wisdom and clearly express our commitments for strengthening the WTO, so 
as to harvest the full potentials that this mu ltilateral trading system can provide for us. 
 
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