대한민국 최초로 여성 통상교섭본부장을 역임(2019.3~2021.8)한 국제통상 전문가이다. 30년간 통상관련 정부 부처(산업통상자원부 및 외교부)와 국제기구에 근무하면서 대외통상정책을 수립하고 국제협상에 참가하였다. 통상교섭본부장으로 재임 기간 동안, 역내포괄적경제동반자협정(RCEP) 타결 등 통상협상을 총괄하고 WTO 개혁, 환경·디지털 통상 등 신통상질서 대응을 포함한 대외통상정책을 수립하였다. 2018년 산업통상자원부 통상교섭실장으로 한∙미 FTA 재협상 수석대표를 맡아 타결을 이끄는 등, 주요 통상협상 타결에 기여하였다. 현재 경제통상대사로서 그간의 국제통상무대에서 쌓은 경험과 네트워크를 바탕으로 정부의 경제통상 활동을 지원하고 있다.

Yoo Myung-hee served as the first female Trade Minister of Korea from February 2019 to August 2021. Since she started her career in public service in 1992, she dedicated most of her 30-year career to trade initiatives, designing and implementing Korea’s trade policy and negotiating trade agreements. During her term as Trade Minister, she strengthened Korea’s FTA network, in particular, with ASEAN, concluding the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, Korea-Indonesia FTA and Korea-Cambodia FTA, and launching Korea-Philippines FTA negotiations. She also developed Korea’s policy on digital trade and launched Korea-Singapore Digital Partnership negotiations in 2020. On multilateral trade, she led and contributed to various international initiatives to ensure supply chain connectivity and maintain open trade amid COVID-19 and revitalize and reform the multilateral trading system. Prior to her appointment as Trade Minister, she was Deputy Minister for Trade Negotiations (since January 2018) and took responsibility as Korea’s lead negotiator for the Korea-U.S. FTA amendment negotiations. She has also served as counsellor of Korean Embassy in China and spokesperson for foreign media in the Office of the President. Currently, she advises and assists the government in developing and implementing international economic and trade policies, as Amabassador for Economy and Trade.