Seoul: South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo will attend the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) and an unofficial meeting of trade ministers from World Trade Organization (WTO) member nations in Switzerland this week, Yeo's office announced Monday. Yeo is scheduled to participate in the WEF, also known as the Davos forum, which will be held under the theme of "A Spirit of Dialogue" in Davos-Klosters throughout the week, amidst global challenges like the rise of trade protectionism and intensifying geopolitical tensions.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the minister will conduct meetings with officials from global companies, including Merck, Amazon Web Services, and Maersk, to explore potential investment opportunities in Korea. Yeo aims to expand Korea's network with global political and opinion leaders during the event. Additionally, Yeo will attend an unofficial meeting of trade ministers from WTO member nations on the sidelines of the economic event on Thursday to discuss the direction of WTO's reform. He will also hold bilateral meetings with trade ministers from major economies, including the European Union, Argentina, and Switzerland.

In a press release, Yeo stated, "I will work to shed light on South Korea's return to the international community and its democratic resilience at the Davos forum, a global platform for political and economic discussions among world leaders, while exercising Korea's global leadership as a middle-power country in restoring the international economic and trade order amid complex challenges."