Seoul: South Korea yesterday welcomed President Barack Obama's nomination of a Korean-born Ivy League college head to lead the World Bank, hailing him as the "right person" for the top job.
Obama on Friday named Kim Jim-yong, a US-raised physician who is currently the president of Dartmouth College, to succeed Robert Zoellick, who is scheduled to leave the World Bank in June.
"We highly appreciate President Obama's decision to nominate Kim and will cooperate more closely with the World Bank," the presidential Blue House said in a statement.
"We believe that Kim is the right person to carry out the duties to reform the World Bank and eradicate poverty, relying on his experience in international health and development projects."
The United States' selection of Kim to lead the 187-nation development lender makes him an instant favourite to get the job.
He is challenged by two other candidates including Colombian Jose Antonio Ocampo, a professor at Columbia University, and Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
