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UNITED NATIONS - / www.MaximsNews.com UN/ -- 01 October 2006 -- [Official Bio] Ban Ki-Moon has been the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea since January 2004brings to his post 35 years of distinguished service both in the government and on the global stage. Rising through the ranks of the Ministry, he has represented a divided nation that has emerged from the total destruction of war to become a thriving democracy and market economy during the past three decades. His guiding vision has been that of a peaceful Korean peninsula, playing an expanding role for peace and prosperity in the region and the world.
Minister Ban’s first overseas posting was in New Delhi, where he was able to acquire first-hand experience on development issues. His bilateral assignments also include two terms at the ROK Embassy in Washington DC.
From 1990 to 1992, he occupied one of most important and challenging positions at Headquarters as Director-General of American Affairs. In 1995, he joined the top management of the Ministry as Deputy Minister for Policy Planning.
He was appointed National Security Advisor to the President in 1996. He became Vice Minister in 2000. His most recent assignment was as Foreign Policy Advisor to the President.
As Deputy Minister in 1996, he was one of the key players as the ROK’s SOM leader in the founding of ASEM for Asia-Europe Cooperation. In 2000, as Vice Minister, he oversaw the preparations for the ROK’s hosting of the 3rd ASEM Summit in Seoul. His contributions to strengthening regional cooperation have also extended to APEC for economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
He represented the
Korean government in the APEC Senior Official
Meetings in 1995. In 2005, with the
Republic of Korea hosting APEC, he has chaired
the ROK government’s Preparation and Planning
Committee for the APEC Summit in Busan as well
as the 17th APEC Ministerial Meeting.
Minister
Ban has nurtured longstanding ties with the
United Nations, dating back to 1975 during his
days as a staff member of the UN Division at
home office. The work expanded over the
years with assignments as 1st Secretary at the
Permanent Observer Mission of the ROK to the UN
in New York, Director of the UN Division at
headquarters, and Ambassador to Vienna, during
which time he served as Chairman of the
Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in
1999. The experience over the years provided a firm base for his instrumental role in the successful Presidency of the 56th session of the UN General Assembly held by the Republic of Korea, which opened on 12 September 2001. As Chef-de-Cabinet to the President of the GA in an extraordinary year for the global body in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, he put his diplomatic and leadership skills to the test in engendering the spirit of cooperation and unity among Member States.
From his facilitating role in the prompt
adoption by the membership of the first
resolution of the session (56/1) condemning the
terrorist attacks of September 11, to his
initiative in amending the rules of procedure
for the early election of the GA President for a
smooth transition from session to session, his
efforts were pivotal in turning a year that
started out in crisis and confusion into one of
the most productive and reform-oriented for the
General Assembly. Minister Ban has long been actively involved in issues relating to inter-Korean relations. In 1992, then as Special Advisor to the Foreign Minister, he served as Vice Chair of the South-North Joint Nuclear Control Commission, following the adoption by South and North Korea of the historic Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Thirteen years later, as Foreign Minister, he
played a leading role in bringing about another
landmark agreement for peace and stability on
the Korean peninsula with the adoption in
September 2005 at the Six Party Talks of the
Joint Statement on resolving the North Korean
nuclear issue. Minister Ban received his bachelor’s degree in international relations from Seoul National University in 1970. In 1985, he earned a master’s degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. For his exemplary service to his country, Minister Ban was twice awarded the Order of Service Merit in 1975 and 1986. For his accomplishments as an envoy, he received the Grand Decoration of Honor from the Republic of Austria in 2001.
A year later, the government of Brazil bestowed the Grand Cross of Rio Blanco upon him. In September 2005, the Korea Society in New York honored him with the Van Fleet Award for his contributions to the US-ROK friendship. In 2006, the Peruvian government bestowed upon Minister Ban the Gran Cruz del Sol(Great Cross of the Sun), Peru’s highest Order of Diplomatic Service Merit.
Minister Ban is married to Madam Yoo Soon-taek. They first met as high school students in 1962. She has been his best partner throughout his many turns. They have one son and two daughters. ~~~~~~ MaximsNews.com, An Independent Voice from the U.N., provides commentary and analysis from leading world figures: King Abdullah II (Jordan), HRH Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein (Jordan), Sir Brian Urquhart, Hans Blix, Amb. Richard Holbrooke, Anwar Ibrahim, Bianca Jagger, Shashi Tharoor, Kerry Kennedy, Ian Williams, Stephen Schlesinger, Sen. Timothy E. Wirth, Marc Morial, Barbara Crossette, Amb. Jayantha Dhanapala (Sri Lanka), Amb. Pierre Schori (Sweden), Amb. William H. Luers, Mehri Madarshahi, Gloria Feldt, Jeffrey Laurenti, Rodney D. Smith, Rory O'Connor, Genevieve Stamper, Max Stamper and others.
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