Chang Seung-wha appointed to World Trade Organization

A Seoul National University professor of law has been appointed an appellate body member of the World Trade Organization, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said yesterday.

The ministry said the WTO’s Selection Committee chose Chang Seung-wha, an SNU law professor, Wednesday.

Chang will be appointed to the post May 24 and will start his four-year term June 1. He may be reappointed for another four-year term.

The appellate body is composed of seven members and Chang was appointed to replace Shotaro Oshima, whose term ends May 31. Two Japanese trade experts and one Thai were also in the running for the post, the ministry said.

Chang earned master’s and doctoral degrees at Harvard Law School in 1992 and 1994 after he earned a bachelor’s degree in law at Seoul National University in 1985. Chang served as a member of the Permanent Group of Experts at the WTO and he was visiting professor at Harvard and Yale law schools.