The Ministerial Council Meeting is the highest decision making body of OECD, and member countries take turns chairing it. It is the first time Korea takes up the chairmanship since it joined in 1996.

OECD is based in Paris and is an organization for economic cooperation between 30 developed countries. Han will set the agenda for the meeting from June 24-25, 2009 in Paris.

He is also responsible for coordinating the position of the OECD on various issues concerning the global economy.

The OECD is run by contributions from the member countries, and in 2008, Korea had the ninth largest share, paying 2.4 percent of 352 million euros of its annual budget.

(englishnews@chosun.com )