KOREA : CEOs of KEB, SC First Praise BOK Chief’s English

KOREA :  CEOs of KEB, SC First Praise BOK Chief’s English

Two foreign bank chiefs said in unison that new Bank of Korea (BOK) Governor Kim Choong-soo’s English is excellent, with one of them saying that Kim would prove to be competent enough to preside over the central bankers’ meeting as part of the G-20 meeting to be hosted by Korea.



Their assessments came during a get-together Wednesday at the BOK.


The former ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) greeted bank CEOs. They included Larry Klane of Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) and Richard Hill of Standard Chartered First Bank.


The head of the BOK exchanged greetings with the two. Klane said in Korean, "I am the CEO of KEB.’’ Kim responded in English and had no problem in making himself understood.


The chief executive of SC First Bank praised Kim’s English skills. "He was perfect. His English is top class. I’m sure he is the right person to lead G-20 meetings,’’ Hill told The Korea Times.


"As I know, his English is quite advanced. He was a Korean ambassador to the OECD, so I am sure that he can chair international meetings in English,’’ Jung Hee-sik, director general of the press office at the BOK, said.


Kim was selected to succeed Lee Seong-tae as BOK governor starting in April and some said that his selection was partially based on his international expertise ahead of the G-20 summit to be held in Korea in November.