Minister Yoo Myung-hee is a visiting professor at the Graduate School of International Studies of Seoul National University and previously served as Korea’s Trade Minister (2019-2021). Prior to that, she was the Deputy Minister for Trade Negotiations, Director General of Trade Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Spokesperson for Foreign Media in the Office of the President. She dedicated most of her 30-year public service to trade initiatives, designing Korea’s trade policy and negotiating trade 43
agreements. As Korea’s chief negotiator, she led numerous trade negotiations, including the Korea-U.S. FTA amendment negotiations and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP). During her term as Trade Minister, she played a pivotal role in shaping Korea’s policy on emerging trade issues such as global supply chains, green and digital trade, and contributed to international initiatives in these areas. Currently, she teaches international trade and economic security issues. She received her B.A. and MPA from Seoul National University, and her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.