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Korean becomes new U.N. secretary-general

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published December 15, 2006

UNITED NATIONS - South Korea's Ban Ki Moon was sworn in Thursday as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations, promising to make his top priority the restoration of trust in the world body that has been tarnished by corruption scandals.

On global hotspots, he said Middle East peace will be a priority, citing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, increasing violence in Iraq and the "deteriorating situation" in Lebanon. He said he also plans to become "directly engaged" in efforts to bring peace to Sudan's conflict-wracked Darfur region.

The 62-year-old career diplomat will take the reins of the United Nations on Jan. 1 when Kofi Annan steps down after 10 years at the helm. He will be the first Asian to lead the organization in 35 years.

Ban will oversee an organization with some 92,000 peacekeepers around the world and a $5-billion annual budget, but with a reputation that has been battered by scandals in the oil-for-food program in Iraq and in peacekeeping procurement.

Ban said he hopes his "Operation Restore Trust" won't be "mission impossible."

As South Korea's foreign minister, Ban was deeply involved in the six-party effort aimed at disarming North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

He said he will be watching the talks, which resume Dec. 18 in Beijing, and said he will "try to facilitate the six-party process" and consider possible initiatives he can undertake as secretary-general.

Ban Ki Moon

Born: June 13, 1944.

Education: Degree in international relations, 1970, Seoul National University; master's in public administration from Harvard, 1985.

Experience: His first overseas posting was in India. He also served in Austria, the United Nations and the United States, along with other positions in South Korea before becoming foreign minister in January 2004.

Quote: "My first priority will be to restore trust. I will seek to act as a harmonizer and bridge-builder."

[Last modified December 15, 2006, 00:51:01]