ID :
191546
Tue, 06/28/2011 - 12:34
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/191546
The shortlink copeid
S. Korea backs Lagarde for top IMF job
(ATTN: REPLACES 4-5th paras with finance minister's comments)
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday expressed its support for French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde in her bid to lead the International Monetary Fund (IMF), adding to her chances of becoming the first female chief of the world's last-resort lending organization.
South Korea's finance ministry delivered its intention to support Lagarde to Australia, which currently represents Asia-Pacific member countries of the IMF, according to ministry officials here.
South Korea has become the latest nation to officially endorse Lagarde, who is seeking to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who resigned last month as the IMF's managing director after being charged with sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York.
"I believe that the IMF's managing director post should be taken by a person who can lead the global recovery following the financial crisis and well coordinate the diverse interests of its member countries," Finance Minister Bahk Jae-wan said at a meeting with local senior journalists.
"I believe that Minister Lagarde, who receives broad support both from European countries and emerging economies, can perform the managing director job excellently just as she showed her coordination ability through the G-20 meetings," he added.
The 24-member executive board, which represents the 187 members of the IMF, will hold a meeting in Washington on Tuesday (local time), seeking to select the new managing director by consensus.
Lagarde, 55, is competing with Agustin Carstens, a Mexican central banker. Experts, however, say it is a sure bet that Lagarde will be chosen, given her broad support base.
Many European countries have expressed their support for her amid lingering debt crises in some of their peer countries. Earlier, a high-ranking Chinese official said Beijing also supports her.
The United States remains silent, but many do not doubt that Washington will eventually endorse Lagarde's entry to the IMF's top post. The U.S., Europe and China hold a majority of votes on the board.
Her selection, however, could prompt outcries from some developing countries, which have pushed to leave the position to candidates outside Europe, observers said.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday expressed its support for French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde in her bid to lead the International Monetary Fund (IMF), adding to her chances of becoming the first female chief of the world's last-resort lending organization.
South Korea's finance ministry delivered its intention to support Lagarde to Australia, which currently represents Asia-Pacific member countries of the IMF, according to ministry officials here.
South Korea has become the latest nation to officially endorse Lagarde, who is seeking to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who resigned last month as the IMF's managing director after being charged with sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York.
"I believe that the IMF's managing director post should be taken by a person who can lead the global recovery following the financial crisis and well coordinate the diverse interests of its member countries," Finance Minister Bahk Jae-wan said at a meeting with local senior journalists.
"I believe that Minister Lagarde, who receives broad support both from European countries and emerging economies, can perform the managing director job excellently just as she showed her coordination ability through the G-20 meetings," he added.
The 24-member executive board, which represents the 187 members of the IMF, will hold a meeting in Washington on Tuesday (local time), seeking to select the new managing director by consensus.
Lagarde, 55, is competing with Agustin Carstens, a Mexican central banker. Experts, however, say it is a sure bet that Lagarde will be chosen, given her broad support base.
Many European countries have expressed their support for her amid lingering debt crises in some of their peer countries. Earlier, a high-ranking Chinese official said Beijing also supports her.
The United States remains silent, but many do not doubt that Washington will eventually endorse Lagarde's entry to the IMF's top post. The U.S., Europe and China hold a majority of votes on the board.
Her selection, however, could prompt outcries from some developing countries, which have pushed to leave the position to candidates outside Europe, observers said.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
