Ban Ki Moon

Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary-General, was born in the Republic of Korea on 13 June 1944.

Ban Ki-moon met his wife, Madam Yoo (Ban) Soon-taek, in high school in 1962.

In 1970, he successfully passed the South Korean Foreign Service exam, marking the beginning of his diplomatic career.

In 1975, Ban Ki Moon started working for the United Nations Division of his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marking the beginning of his long-standing ties to the United Nations.

In 1985, Ban Ki Moon earned a master's degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

In 1986, Ban Ki-moon was again awarded the Republic of Korea’s Highest Order of Service Merit for his service to his country.

In 1992, Ban Ki Moon served as Vice-Chair of the South-North Joint Nuclear Control Commission, which was established after the adoption of the historic Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

In 1996, he served as the National Security Adviser to South Korean President Kim Young-sam, providing strategic counsel and guidance on matters of national security.

In 1999, Ban Ki Moon served as Chairman of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization, demonstrating his involvement in nuclear disarmament efforts.

In 2003, he took on the role of foreign policy adviser to South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, contributing to the formulation of the country's international relations strategies.

In January 2004, Ban Ki Moon was appointed as the South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where he played a crucial role in shaping the nation's foreign policy and trade relations.

In September 2005, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ban Ki Moon played a leading role in the adoption of the Joint Statement on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue at the six-party talks, aiming to promote peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.

On February 14, 2006, Ban Ki Moon officially declared his candidacy for the position of secretary-general.

On October 9, 2006, Ban Ki Moon was formally nominated by the United Nations Security Council to become the next secretary-general, succeeding Kofi Annan.

Ban Ki-moon identified Darfur as the top humanitarian priority of his administration and played a significant role in convincing Sudan to allow UN peacekeepers to enter the region. The United Nations Security Council approved sending peacekeepers into the region in July 2007, marking a major breakthrough in confronting the Darfur conflict.

Ban Ki-moon flew to Myanmar to guide a conference aimed at boosting donations for the nation, which was struck by Cyclone Nargis. He toured the devastation and initiated a conference with international agencies to support aid distribution in the affected areas.

The Secretary-General created the position of a new Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to address the issue within the UN.

Ban Ki-moon sought to strengthen humanitarian response in Haiti in the aftermath of the mega-disaster in 2010.

The Libyan Civil War began in 2011 and dominated Ban Ki-moon's attention and public statements that year. He lobbied for peaceful solutions to the crisis and spoke out against military action in Libya, advocating for a diplomatic solution. However, he acknowledged the possibility of military intervention if diplomatic efforts failed. The conflict eventually led to the overthrow of the Gaddafi government.

Ban Ki-moon's new five-year term as Secretary-General commenced on 1 January 2012 and ended on 31 December 2016. During his second term, he appointed new top positions in his group, including his Deputy Secretary-General and Chief of Staff.

Ban Ki-moon visited Tehran, Iran to attend a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in August 2012.

Ban Ki-moon was accused of undermining collective bargaining rights of The Staff Coordinating Council, the union representing United Nations staff, by unilaterally eliminating the role of the union to negotiate on behalf of the employees and terminating talks when the union protested.

In January 2015, Judge J. Paul Oetken dismissed the lawsuit against Ban Ki-moon, affirming UN immunity. An appeal to Oetken's decision was submitted to the Court in May 2015.

On 3rd February 2016, Ban Ki-moon was granted an honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Cambridge.

Ban Ki-moon released a report titled 'One Humanity, Shared Responsibility' in February 2016, outlining the 'Agenda for Humanity' based on consultations with people from 153 countries. The agenda focused on reforming humanitarian action.

The World Humanitarian Summit was announced by Ban Ki-moon in January 2012 and took place in May 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. It aimed to share knowledge and establish common best practices in humanitarian aid.

Ban Ki-moon delivered a message at the inauguration of the period of sessions of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

The Secretary-General visited Lao People's Democratic Republic from 6th to 8th September 2016.

The Secretary-General visited Canada on 16th and 17th September 2016.

On October 13, 2016, the United Nations appointed a new Secretary-General.

On December 12, 2016, the new Secretary-General was sworn in.

Mr. Ban was elected as Chairman of IOC Ethics Committee in September 2017, overseeing ethical matters within the International Olympic Committee.

On April 9, 2018, Ban Ki-moon was elected as the chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, a significant role in the international forum promoting economic integration in Asia.

In April 2019, Mr. Ban was elected as the Chairman of Presidential National Council to deal with Particulate Matter, addressing environmental concerns.

Ban Ki-moon received the Sunhak Peace Prize during the World Summit 2020 General Assembly.

The biography of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is available on the website. It includes information about his background, career, and contributions to the United Nations.

The Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens achieved special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in December 2022, allowing it to actively engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies.