The man South Korea hopes will be the next head of the UN yesterday vowed to push ahead with reforms of the world body, saying a Korean candidate offered broad experience of change and development.
In his first interview since announcing his bid on Tuesday to replace UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon told the South China Morning Post he had been consulting China and other leading UN members for several months about his bid.
South Korea regarded itself as 'a child of the United Nations' dating back to the Korean war in the 1950s and now wanted to put something back, he said.
'We think we are a model of many member states of the United Nations, one who has been able to realise all the important goals and ideals of the UN charter,' Mr Ban said, stressing a record of peace and stability as well as development, prosperity and human rights and democracy.
Mr Ban described UN reforms as the most important agenda item he faced if selected, outlining his own credentials as an agent of change.
'Korea has been carrying out a series of wide and extensive reforms in all areas of our lives ... I have always been at the centre of innovation and reforms,' he said.
He would also hope to advance the cause of unification of North Korea.