Foreign Minister Eyes Top UN Post

January 30, 2006
The Korea Times
Original Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200601/kt2006013018073811990.htm


DAVOS, SWITZERLAND (Yonhap) _ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon said South Korea should increase its financial aid to underdeveloped and disaster-stricken countries, indicating again his intention to run for the top U.N. post. 
``A U.N. secretary general is required to draw international attention to humanitarian assistance and muster member states’ political wills. Anyone who takes the U.N. secretary general post is anticipated to perform such a role,’’ Ban said in a recent interview in Davos, where he attended the World Economic Forum. 
The interview was conducted a day after he held a panel debate Thursday with two other potential candidates _ Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga and Sri Lankan diplomat Jayantha Dhanapala _ to succeed current U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, whose term ends on Dec. 31. 
If elected, Ban, a career diplomat who has called for sweeping reforms of the world body, would be the first Asian to head the world body. 
In the interview Ban dismissed as a ``negative view’’ worries that no U.N. secretary general has come from a divided nation. 
``The international notion is that South Korea has managed well the 50-plus-year division. Inter-Korean exchanges are being conducted well. I think experience handling this kind of complex matter will help (me) perform in the U.N. secretary general post and become a good asset,’’ Ban said. 
``There are few people with a negative view of having a divided nation field a candidate,’’ he said. ``This is not diplomatic rhetoric, and it’s a fact.’’ 
Ban stressed that South Korea, as the world’s 11th-largest economy, should increase its international financial contribution. 
``It’s necessary for the government and people to actively contribute. I know we need financial resources for resolving social polarization and improving our aging society, welfare systems and low birth rate,’’ he said. ``But it’s hard to get respect from the international community if we don’t help poor countries with money left over.’’ 
Ban said it’s a ``shame’’ South Korea’s contribution to the Official Development Aid has remained the lowest among the rich nations’ Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) club. ``We should perform international roles that match our international status. There has been a national consensus on that, but it’ pushed away from being a top priority.’’