Former finance minister to attend Davos forum

SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean ruling party lawmaker will leave for Switzerland this week to attend this year's annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, the foreign ministry said Sunday.

Choi Kyung-hwan, who served as finance minister until earlier this month, will represent South Korea as a special presidential envoy at the forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.

The so-called Davos forum is scheduled to kick off on Wednesday for a four-day run, bringing together thousands of political leaders, government officials and business heads around the world.

Choi will join as a panelist on East Asia on Wednesday, where he is expected to deliver his opinion on economic situations in the region and the world, the ministry said.

He also plans to explain South Korea's economic policy and attend a "Korea Night" function for foreign leaders on Thursday.

Choi is set to met with Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum; Johann Schneider-Ammann, the Swiss president; and Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on the sidelines of the forum, according to the ministry.

Choi has returned to the ruling Saenuri Party earlier this month to run for parliamentary elections in April.

In 2014, President Park Geun-hye attended the Davos forum.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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