Ban Ki-moon

] His mother is reportedly Buddhist.

Personality

Ban's personality has been described by many as bland. In the Korean Foreign Ministry his nickname was "Ban-chusa", meaning "the Bureaucrat" or "the administrative clerk". The name was used as both positive and negative: complimenting Ban's attention to detail and administrative skill while deriding what was seen as a lack of charisma and subservience to his superiors.Cite news | url =http://www.unsgselection.org/files/Economist_EnterMrBan_7Oct06.pdf | title = Enter Mr Ban; The UN's new secretary-general | work = The Economist | date = 2006-10-07] The Korean press corps calls him "the slippery eel" for his ability to dodge questions. His demeanor has also been described as a "Confucian approach".Cite news | url =http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1543932,00.html | title = Can This Guy Run the U.N.? | date = 2006-10-16 | work = Time Magazine]

Ban's work ethic is well-documented. His schedule is reportedly broken into five-minute blocks; Ban claims to sleep for only five hours a night and never to have been late for work. During the nearly three years he was foreign minister for South Korea the only vacation he took was for his daughter's wedding. Ban has said that his only hobby is golf, and he plays only a couple of games a year.

At the 2006 UN Correspondents' dinner in early December, after being elected Secretary-General, Ban surprised the audience by singing a version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", with the lyrics "Ban Ki-moon is coming to town" instead.cite news | url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/12/AR2007011202061.html | title = Don't Ban Your Instincts, Ban Ki-moon | author = John R. Bolton | accessdate=2007-04-13 | date = 2007-01-12 |work=The Washington Post] A major aim of Ban's campaign for UN Secretary-General and a focus of his early days in office was allaying concerns that he was too dull for the job.

Diplomatic career

After graduation from university, Ban received the top score on Korea's foreign service exam. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May 1970, and worked his way up the career ladder during the years of the Yusin Constitution.

His first overseas posting was to New Delhi where he served as vice consul and impressed many of his superiors in the foreign ministry with his competence. Ban reportedly accepted a posting to India rather than the more prestigious United States, because in India he would be able to save more money, and send more home to his family. In 1974 he received his first posting to the United Nations, as First Secretary of the South Permanent Observer Mission (South Korea only became a full UN member state on 17 September 1991).Cite news | title = Council Backs South Korean for U.N. Secretary General | work = The New York Times | author = Warren Hoge | date = 2006-10-03] After Park Chung-hee's 1979 assassination, Ban assumed the post of Director of the United Nations Division.

In 1980 Ban became director of the United Nation's International Organizations and Treaties Bureau, headquartered in Seoul. He has been posted twice to the Republic of Korea embassy in Washington, D.C. Between these two assignments he served as Director-General for American Affairs in 1990–1992. In 1992, he became Vice Chairman of the South-North Joint Nuclear Control Commission, following the adoption by South and North Korea of the Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. From 1993–1994 Ban was Korea's deputy ambassador to the United States. He was promoted to the position of Deputy Minister for Policy Planning and International Organizations in 1995 and then appointed National Security Advisor to the President in 1996. Ban's lengthy career overseas has been credited with helping him avoid South Korea's unforgiving political environment.

Ban was appointed Ambassador to Austria in 1998, and a year later he was also elected as Chairman of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO PrepCom). During the negotiations, in what Ban considers the biggest blunder of his career, he included a positive statement about the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in a public letter with Russia in 2001, shortly after the United States had decided to abandon the treaty. To avoid anger from the United States, Ban was fired by President Kim Dae-jung, who also issued a public apology for Ban's statement.

Ban was unemployed for the first and only time in his career and was expecting to receive an assignment to work in a remote and unimportant embassy. In 2001, during the 56th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Republic of Korea held the rotating presidency, and to Ban's surprise, he was selected to be the chief of staff to general assembly president Han Seung-soo.Cite news | work = The New York Times | date = 2006-10-14 | title = South Korean Is Appointed Secretary General of the U.N. | author = Warren Hoge] In 2003, the new Korean President Roh Moo-hyun selected Ban as one of his foreign policy advisors.

Foreign Minister of Korea

In 2004, Ban replaced Yoon Young Kwan as foreign minister of Korea under president Roh Moo-hyun. At the beginning of his term, Ban was faced with two major crises: in June 2004 Kim Sun-il, a Korean translator, was kidnapped and killed in Iraq by Islamic extremists; and in December 2004 dozens of Koreans died in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Ban survived scrutiny from lawmakers and saw an upturn in his popularity when talks began with North Korea.Cite news | title = Ban surges toward next career step | author = Lee Joo-hee | work = The Korea Herald | date = 2006-02-15] Ban became actively involved in issues relating to inter-Korean relationships.Cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5401856.stm | title = Profile: Ban Ki-moon | work = BBC News | date = 2006-10-13 | accessdate = 2007-08-04] In September 2005, as Foreign Minister, he played a leading role in the diplomatic efforts to adopt the Joint Statement on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue at the Fourth Round of the Six-party talks held in Beijing.Cite news | url =http://www.newsweek.com/id/45039 | title = A Baptism by Fire; Even before taking office, the newly elected secretary-general of the United Nations is confronted with a global crisis | date = 2006-10-23 | author = Lally Weymouth | work = Newsweek]

As foreign minister, Ban oversaw the trade and aid policies of South Korea. This work put Ban in the position of signing trade deals and delivering foreign assistance to diplomats who would later be influential in his candidacy for Secretary-General. For example, Ban became the first senior South Korean minister to travel to the Congo, since its independence in 1960.Cite news | title = S. Korean Contender for U.N. Post Has an Edge; Ban Ki Moon's Rivals Complain About His Role in Foreign Aid and Trade Policy | work = The Washington Post | author = Colum Lynch | date = 2006-09-29]

Awards

Ban has been awarded the Order of Service Merit by the Government of the Republic of Korea on three occasions: in 1975, 1986 and 2006.Cite web | url = http://www.un.org/sg/biography.shtml | title = Official U.N. biography | work = un.org | accessdate = 2007-08-12] For his accomplishments as an envoy, he received the Grand Decoration of Honour from the Republic of Austria in 2001. He has received awards from many of the countries with which he has worked diplomatically: the government of Brazil bestowed the Grand Cross of Rio Branco upon him, the government of Peru awarded him Gran Cruz del Sol Sun, and the Korea Society in New York City honored him with the James A. Van Fleet Award for his contributions to friendship between the United States and the Republic of Korea. [cite news|url=http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_detail.htm?No=39557|title=Samsung Chairman Lee Receives Van Fleet Award|date=2006-09-20|accessdate=2006-09-28|publisher= [http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/ KBS World] ]

Campaign for Secretary-General

In February 2006, Ban declared his candidacy to replace Kofi Annan as UN Secretary-General at the end of 2006, becoming the first South Korean to run for the office. [cite news|url=http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200602/kt2006021416334111990.htm|title=Minister Ban to Run for Top UN Job|author=Song-wu, Park|publisher=The Korea Times|accessdate=2006-09-28|date=2006-02-14] Though Ban was the first to announce a candidacy, he was not originally considered a serious contender.Cite news | title = Relentless pursuit brings a challenge close to home; Profile Ban Ki-moon | work = Financial Times | author = Anna Fifield | date = 2006-10-10]

Over the next eight months, Ban made ministerial visits to each of the 15 countries with a seat on the Security Council. Of the seven candidates, he topped each of the four straw polls conducted by the United Nations Security Council: on 24 July, [cite web|url=http://www.unsg.org/wordpress/archives/115|title=Ban takes 1st Straw Poll|publisher= [http://www.unsg.org UNSG.org] |date=2006-07-24|accessdate=2006-09-28] 14 September, [cite web|url=http://www.unsg.org/wordpress/archives/138|title=Ban firms up lead in second Straw Poll|publisher= [http://www.unsg.org UNSG.org] |date=2006-09-14|accessdate=2006-09-28] 28 September, [cite web|url=http://www.unsg.org/wordpress/archives/164|title=Ban slips but holds, Vīķe-Freiberga pushes into third|publisher= [http://www.unsg.org UNSG.org] |date=2006-09-28|accessdate=2006-09-28] and 2 October. [cite web|url=http://www.unsg.org/wordpress/archives/170|title=Ban Ki-moon wins|publisher= [http://www.unsg.org UNSG.org] |date=2006-10-02|accessdate=2006-10-02]

During the period in which these polls took place, Ban made major speeches to the Asia Society and the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. [Cite web | url = http://www.asiasource.org/news/special_reports/kimoon.cfm | work = Asiasource.org | title = Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon interview | date = 2006-09-26 | accessdate = 2007-08-02] [Cite web | url = http://www.asiasociety.org/speeches/06ny_ban.html | date = 2006-09-25 | accessdate = 2007-08-02 | work = Ban Ki-moon address to Asia Society (transcript) | title = The Quest for Peace and Prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and Beyond] To be confirmed, Ban needed not only to win the support of the diplomatic community, but be able to avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members of the council: People's Republic of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Ban was popular in Washington for having pushed to send South Korean troops to Iraq. But Ban also opposed several U.S. positions: he expressed his support for the International Criminal Court and favored an entirely non-confrontational approach to dealing with North Korea. Ban said during his campaign that he would like to visit North Korea in person to meet with Kim Jong-il directly. Ban was viewed as a stark contrast from Kofi Annan, who was considered charismatic, but perceived as a weak manager because of problems surrounding the UN's oil-for-food program in Iraq.

Ban also struggled to win the approval of France. His official biography states that he speaks both English and French, the two working languages of the UN Secretariat. He has repeatedly struggled to answer questions in French from journalists.citeweb|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/reportsfromabroad/herland/20061214.html|title=Is Ban Ki-moon a franco-phoney?|work = CBC News | date = 2006-12-14 | accessdate = 2007-08-02] Ban has repeatedly acknowledged his limitations at French, but assured French diplomats that he was devoted to continuing his study. At a press conference on 11 January 2007, Ban remarked, “my French perhaps could be improved, and I am continuing to work. I have taken French lessons over the last few months. I think that, even if my French isn't perfect, I will continue to study it.” [Cite web | url = http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2407 | work = United Nations | title = Secretary-General's press conference | date = 2007-01-11 | accessdate = 2007-08-02]

As the Secretary-General election drew closer there was rising criticism of the South Korean campaign on Ban's behalf. Specifically, his alleged practice of systematically visiting all member states of the Security Council in his role as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade to secure votes in his support by signing trade deals with European countries and pledging aid to developing countries were the focus of many news articles. [cite news | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25689-2380336,00.html | title = Millions of dollars and a piano may put Korean in UN's top job | work = The Times | date = 2006-09-26 | accessdate = 2007-08-02] According to "The Washington Post", "rivals have privately grumbled that Republic of Korea, which has the world's 11th-largest economy, has wielded its economic might to generate support for his candidacy". Ban reportedly has said that these insinuations are "groundless". In an interview on 17 September 2006 he stated: "As front-runner, I know that I can become a target of this very scrutinizing process," and "I am a man of integrity." [Cite news | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092801765.html | work = The Washington Post | date = 2006-09-28 | accessdate = 2007-08-02 | title = S. Korean Contender for U.N. Post Has an Edge]

In the final informal poll on 2 October, Ban received fourteen favorable votes and one abstention ("no opinion") from the fifteen members of the Security Council (the polls were secret, but the US Representative to the UN John R. Bolton later remarked that it was Japan who abstained). More importantly, Ban was the only one to escape a veto; each of the other candidates received at least one "no" vote from among the five permanent members. [cite news | url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1104AP_UN_Next_Chief.html | title=Ban vows to reform U.N. if given top job|publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | date=2006-10-03 | accessdate=2006-10-09] After the vote, Shashi Tharoor, who finished second, withdrew his candidacy [cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?id=94211|title=Shashi Tharoor pulls out of UN race|publisher= [http://www.ndtv.com/ NDTV.com] |date=2006-10-02|accessdate=2006-10-02] and China's Permanent Representative to the UN told reporters that "it is quite clear from today's straw poll that Minister Ban Ki-moon is the candidate that the Security Council will recommend to the General Assembly." [Cite web | url = http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/sc/so061002pm3.rm | title = United Nations Webcast of announcement | work = United Nations | accessdate = 2007-08-02]

On 9 October, the Security Council formally chose Ban as its nominee. In the public vote, he was supported by all 15 members of the council.Cite news | title = Security Council Approves South Korean as U.N. Chief | author = Warren Hoge and Choe Sang-Hun | work = The New York Times | date = 2006-10-10] On 13 October, the 192-member General Assembly acclaimed Ban as Secretary-General.

Term as Secretary-General

When Ban became Secretary-General, "The Economist" listed the major challenges facing him in 2007: "rising nuclear demons in Iran and North Korea, a haemorrhaging wound in Darfur, unending violence in the Middle East, looming environmental disaster, escalating international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the spread of HIV/AIDS. And then the more parochial concerns, such as the largely unfinished business of the most sweeping attempt at reform in the UN's history." Before starting, Kofi Annan shared the story that when the first Secretary-General Trygve Lie left office he told his successor, Dag Hammarskjöld, "You are about to take over the most impossible job on earth."

On 23 January 2007 Ban took office as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations. Ban's term as Secretary-General opened with a flap. At his first encounter with the press as Secretary-General on 2 January 2007, he refused to condemn the death penalty imposed on Saddam Hussein by the Iraqi High Tribunal, remarking that “The issue of capital punishment is for each and every member State to decide.” [Cite web | url = http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=964 | work = United Nations | title = Secretary-General's encounter with the UN press corps (transcript)| date = 2007-01-02 | accessdate = 2007-08-02] Ban's statements contradicted long-standing United Nations opposition to the death penalty as a human rights concern.Cite news| url =http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/03/world/middleeast/03nations.html | title = New U.N. Chief Invites Controversy by Declining to Oppose Hussein Execution | date = 2007-01-03 | author = Julia Preston] He quickly clarified his stance in the case of Barzan al-Tikriti and Awad al-Bandar, two top officials who were convicted of the deaths of 148 Shia Muslims in the Iraqi village of Dujail in the 1980s. In a statement through his spokesperson on 6 January, he “strongly urged the Government of Iraq to grant a stay of execution to those whose death sentences may be carried out in the near future.” [Cite web | url = http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2395 | title = Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on the death sentences in Iraq | work = United Nations | date = 2007-01-06 | accessdate = 2007-08-02] On the broader issue, he told a Washington, D.C. audience on 16 January 2007 that he recognized and encouraged the “growing trend in international society, international law and domestic policies and practices to phase out eventually the death penalty.” [Cite web | url = http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2410 | title = Address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Q&A (transcript)| work = United Nations | date = 2007-01-16 | accessdate = 2007-08-02]

On the tenth anniversary of Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot's death, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed 15 April 2008 for the senior leaders of the regime to be brought to justice. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia-tribunal, which was established by both the United Nations and Cambodia, which became operational in 2006, is expected to continue until at least 2010. [Cite web | url = http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/15/un.pol.pot/index.html | title = U.N. chief calls for justice in Cambodia | work = CNN | date = 2008-04-15 | accessdate = 2008-04-15]

Cabinet

In early January, Ban appointed the key members of his cabinet. As his Deputy Secretary-General he selected Tanzanian foreign minister and professor Asha-Rose Migiro, a move that pleased African diplomats who had concerns of losing power without Annan in office. [Cite news | url =http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/06/world/06nations.html | title = Tanzanian Woman Is Chosen for U.N.'s 2nd Highest Post | work = The New York Times | date = 2007-01-06 | author = Julia Preston ]

The top position devoted exclusively to management, Under-Secretary-General for Management, was filled by Alicia Bárcena Ibarra. Ibarra was considered a UN insider, having previously served as Annan's chief of staff. Her appointment was seen by critics as an indication that Ban would not make dramatic changes to UN bureaucracy.Cite news | title = Mexican U.N. Insider Gets Manager's Post | date = 2007-01-04 | author = Julia Preston] Ban appointed Sir John Holmes, the British Ambassador to France, as Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and coordinator of emergency relief.

Ban initially said that he would delay making other appointments until his first round of reforms were approved, but he later abandoned this idea after receiving criticism. In February he continued with appointments, selecting B. Lynn Pascoe, the U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, to become Under-Secretary-General for political affairs.
Jean-Marie Guéhenno, a French diplomat, who had served as Under-Secretary-General for peacekeeping operations under Annan remained in office. Ban selected Vijay K. Nambiar as his chief of staff.Cite news | title = U.N. Chief Gives Key Post to American | author = Warren Hoge | date = 2007-02-10 | work = The New York Times]

The appointment of many women to top jobs was seen as fulfilling a campaign promise Ban had made to increase the role of women in the United Nations. During Ban's first year as Secretary-General more top jobs were being handled by women than ever before. Though not appointed by Ban, the president of the General Assembly, Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, is only the third woman to hold this position in UN history.Cite news | title = Leaders making world of difference Higher profile at UN brings new emphasis on issues affecting women | author = Stevenson Swanson | work = Chicago Tribune | date = 2007-04-11]

Early reforms

During his first month in office, Ban proposed two major restructurings: to split the UN peacekeeping operation into two departments and to combine the political affairs and disarmament department. His proposals were met with stiff resistance from members of the UN General Assembly, who bristled under Ban's request for rapid approval. The proposed merger of the disarmament and political affairs offices was criticized by many in the developing world, partially because of rumors that Ban hoped to place American B. Lynn Pascoe in charge of the new office. Alejandro D. Wolff, then acting American ambassador, said the United States backed his proposals.Cite news | title = Ban's month of muddle: how the new UN chief is struggling to win over the doubters | author = Mark Turner | date = 2007-02-01 | work = Financial Times] Cite news | title = U.N. Chief Returns to Headquarters, Where Battles Await Him | date = 2007-02-06 | work = The New York Times | author = Warren Hoge]

After the early bout of reproach, Ban began extensive consultation with UN ambassadors, agreeing to have his peacekeeping proposal extensively vetted. After the consultations, Ban dropped his proposal to combine political affairs and disarmament.Cite news | title = U.N. Chief Is Assuaging Doubts About Leadership | author = Warren Hoge | date = 2007-02-19 | work = The New York Times] Ban nevertheless pressed ahead with reforms on job requirements at the UN requiring that all positions be considered five-year appointments, all receive strict annual performance reviews, and all financial disclosures be made public. Though unpopular in the New York office, the move was popular in other UN offices around the world and lauded by UN observers.Cite news | title = New United Nations Chief Tackles the Agency's Tradition of Patronage Jobs | work = The New York Times | date = 2007-02-28 | author = Warren Hoge] Ban's proposal to split the peacekeeping operation into one group handling operations and another handling arms was finally adopted in mid-March 2007.Cite news | title = Ban Ki-moon learns the hard way | work = The Irish Times | author = Maggie Farley | date = 2007-04-11]

According to "The Washington Post", "some U.N. employees and delegates" expressed resentment at Ban's perceived favoritism in the appointment of South Korean nationals in key posts. Previous U.N. chiefs such as Kurt Waldheim (Austria), Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (Peru) and Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt) brought small teams of trusted aides or clerical workers from their country's Foreign Ministry. But according to "some officials" in the "Post" story Ban has gone further, boosting South Korea's presence in U.N. ranks by more than 20 percent during his first year in office. In response, Ban and his aides have claimed that allegations of favoritism are wrong, and that some of the harshest criticisms against him have undercurrents of racism. He said that the South Korean nationals he had appointed—including Choi Young-jin, who has served as a high-ranking official in the United Nation's peacekeeping department—are highly qualified for their positions.Cite news | title = Under U.N. Chief, Koreans in Key Posts: Ban Ki-moon Denies Playing Favorites | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/20/AR2007102001008.html | author = Colum Lynch | work = Washington Post | date = 2007-10-21 | accessdate = 2007-10-23]

Key issues

The Secretary-General of the United Nations has the ability to influence debate on nearly any global issue. Although unsuccessful in some areas, Ban's predecessor Annan had been successful in increasing the UN peacekeeping presence and in popularizing the Millennium Development Goals. UN observers were eager to see on which issues Ban intends to focus, in addition to reform of the United Nations bureaucracy.

On several prominent issues, such as proliferation in Iran and North Korea, Ban has deferred to the Security Council. Ban has also declined to become involved on the issue of Taiwan's status. In 2007, the Republic of Nauru raised the issue of allowing the Republic of China (Taiwan) to sign the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Ban referenced the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, and refused the motion. On 19 July 2007, the President of the Republic of China wrote to request admission into the UN by the name Taiwan. Ban immediately rejected the request.Cite news | url = http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/07/30/2003371907 | title = MOFA spokesman slams Ban Ki-moon for rejecting UN bid | date = 2007-07-30 | accessdate = 2007-08-30 | work = Taipei Times]

Global warming

Ban early on identified global warming as one of the key issues of his administration. In a White House meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush in January, Ban urged Bush to take steps to curb greenhouse gas emissions. On 1 March 2007 in a speech before the UN General Assembly Hall, Ban further emphasized his concerns about global warming. Ban stated, "For my generation, coming of age at the height of the Cold War, fear of nuclear winter seemed the leading existential threat on the horizon. But the danger posed by war to all humanity—and to our planet—is at least matched by climate change."Cite news | url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/01/AR2007030101484.html | title = U.N. Secretary General Calls Global Warming a Priority | author = Colum Lynch | date = 2007-03-02 | work = The Washington Post]

Middle East

On Thursday, 22 March 2007, while taking part in the first stop of a tour of the Middle East, a mortar attack hit just convert|80|m|sp=us from where the Secretary-General was standing, interrupting a press conference in Baghdad's Green Zone, and visibly shaking Ban and others. No one was hurt in the incident. [ [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-03/23/content_5884102.htm Rocket blast shakes UN chief in Baghdad] Xinhua - 2007-03-23] The United Nations had already limited its role in Iraq after its Baghdad headquarters was bombed in August 2003, killing 22 people. Ban said, however, that he still hoped to find a way for the United Nations to "do more for Iraqi social and political development."Cite news | title = U.N. Chief Isn't Discouraged by His Close Call in Iraq | author = Warren Hoge | date = 2007-03-24 | work = The New York Times]

On his trip, Ban visited Egypt, Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, where Ban attended a conference with leaders of the Arab League and met for several hours with Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the Sudanese president who had resisted UN peacekeepers in Darfur. While Ban met with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, he declined to meet with Ismail Haniya of Hamas.Cite news | title = On Mideast Trip, U.N. Chief Sought to Expand New Role | date = 2007-04-03 | author = Warren Hoge | work = The New York Times]

Ban Ki-moon criticized Israel on 10 March 2008 for planning to build housing units in a West Bank settlement, saying the decision conflicts with "Israel's obligation under the road map" for Middle East peace. [Cite news | title =U.N. blasts Israel for West Bank housing expansion plan| url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/10/israel.palestinian.settlement/index.html | publisher=CNN | date=2008-03-10 | accessdate=2008-03-10]

Darfur

Ban took the first foreign trip of his term to attend the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2007 as part of an effort to reach out to the Group of 77.Cite news | title = Mission impossible?—The United Nations | date = 2007-01-06 | work = The Economist] He repeatedly identified Darfur as the top humanitarian priority of his administration. Ban played a large role, with several face-to-face meetings with Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, in convincing Sudan to allow UN peacekeepers to enter the Darfur region. On 31 July 2007 the United Nations Security Council approved sending 26,000 UN peacekeepers into the region to join 7,000 troops from the African Union. The resolution was heralded as a major breakthrough in confronting the Darfur conflict (although many countries have labeled the conflict a "genocide," the United Nations has declined to do so).Who|date=August 2008 The first phase of the peacekeeping mission began in October 2007.Cite news | title = United Nations Deploys Peacekeeping Troops to Darfur | author = Cheryl Corley | date = 2007-08-02 | work = Tell Me More on NPR]

Myanmar

Ban Ki-moon flew to Myanmar on 25 May 2008 to guide a conference with international agencies aimed at boosting donations for the nation, which was struck by Cyclone Nargis on 2 May 2008. The conference was initiated after Ban had met with Than Shwe, the leading figure of Myanmar's government 23 May 2008. Ban toured the devastation — especially in the hard-hit Irrawaddy Delta — 23 May 2008 and 24 May 2008. Myanmar officials agreed to allow the Yangon International Airport to be used as a logistical hub for aid distribution.Cite news | title = Cyclone aid conference opens in Myanmar | author = CNN | date = 2008-05-25]

References

External links

* [http://www.un.org/sg Secretary-General] – Official United Nations profile, statements, reports, press briefings
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8688776286541378176#3m00s Ban Ki-moon interview] with Charlie Rose on 14 February 2007
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5694018002727109340 Ban Ki-moon interview] with Dennis Wholey on 23 February 2006
* [http://omedia.org/Show_Article.asp?DynamicContentID=1886&MenuID=608&ThreadID=1014011 New Era in the UN - A quick sketch of the pre-eminent diplomat - Ki-moon] Omedia
* [http://www.worldsecuritynetwork.com/showArticle3.cfm?article_id=13669 Profile of Ban Ki-moon, by Ioannis Michaletos]
* [http://www.asiasource.org/news/special_reports/unsg.cfm South Korean Ban Ki-moon set to become UN Secretary-General] – includes an interview conducted by the Asia Society's "AsiaSource" with the new UN Secretary-General, on 26 September 2006.
* [http://www.ipsnews.net/new_focus/UN/index.asp Change at the Helm - Change for the Whole Ship?] Reports by the news agency Inter Press Service about the United Nations and its new Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
* [http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0312/p01s01-wogi.html U.N.'s Ban Ki Moon emerges as dogged reformer] By Howard LaFranchi, The Christian Science Monitor
* [http://www.project-syndicate.org/contributor/1194 Ban Ki-moon's op/ed commentary] for the Asia Society and Project Syndicate
* [http://www.un.org/ga/63/generaldebate/sg.shtml Ban Ki-moon's address to the United Nations General Assembly] , General Debate of the 63rd Session, September 23, 2008

Persondata
NAME=Ban, Ki-moon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=반기문 (Hangul); 潘基文 (Hanja)
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Current Secretary-General of the United Nations
DATE OF BIRTH=13 June 1944
PLACE OF BIRTH=Eumseong County, South Korea
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=