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UNITED NATIONS - / www.MaximsNews.com,
UN/ -
July 2006- Ban Ki-Moon, Minister
of Foreign Affairs and
Trade of the Republic of
Korea since January
2004, brings 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.
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