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Journalism of Courage
South Korean diplomat Ban Ki-moon took over as the eighth secretary-general of United Nations on New Year’s Day.
The 62-year-old career diplomat, who grew up during a war that left his country divided, has promised to make peace with North Korea a top priority.
He has pointed out that the reclusive communist nation must be talked to — not just punished with sanctions for its nuclear program.
The US is certain to press Ban to expand management reforms at the UN, which outgoing Secretary-General Kofi Annan began.
The 192-member General Assembly, which controls the UN budget and oversees its management, has been reluctant to institute changes that Annan, and many experts say, are essential to modernise the 61-year-old world body.
His first priority, he said, will be to restore trust in the United Nations, whose reputation has been battered by the oil-for-food scandal in Iraq, corruption in the
UN’s purchasing operations and sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers.
