hankyoreh

After solidifying his position to become the next U.N. secretary-general, South Korea's foreign minister, Ban Ki-moon, thanked U.N. council members Tuesday for supporting his candidacy and cautiously reaffirmed his main campaign promise of reforming the world body.

"I pleasantly accepts the poll's results and feel a heavy sense of responsibility at the same time," Ban said, after hearing the news that he won a crucial informal U.N. Security Council poll to replace Kofi Annan as the secretary general of the United Nations.

Annan is scheduled to step down in December.

The poll's results were seen as assuring Ban of the top U.N. post, as he was the only one among the six candidates to receive the unanimous support from all five veto-wielding council members -- the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia.

The U.N. Security Council is set to hold a formal vote on Monday to pick the new secretary-general, whose results must be endorsed by the 192-member U.N. General Assembly. However, many diplomats in the U.N. said it is only matter of procedure to elect Ban to the top post.

"I offer my deep appreciation for U.N. council members supporting and putting their trust in me, which was reconfirmed in the fourth informal poll," Ban, 62, said in a telephone interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul. Ban won all three previous informal polls.

He added that he will continue to make an effort to get the support of all General Assembly member states until he is formally elected as the U.N. secretary general.

Asked over how to head the world's body, if elected, Ban reaffirmed the need to reform the U.N., which has in recent years faced a spate of allegations over corruption, inefficient management styles and even sexual abuses by some peacekeepers.

"It's true that although the U.N. has made a great contribution to world peace and security, social and economic development and human rights improvements over the past 60 years, it has also drawn much criticism for its inefficiency and lack of transparency," he said. "The reform of the U.N. secretariat and the easing of overall distrust spread inside the U.N. remain tasks to be accomplished."

In the months leading up to Monday's crucial informal poll in New York, Ban has also promised several times to reform the U.N. secretariat and expand U.N. aid programs to African countries.

Ban is a career diplomat who has served as South Korea's foreign minister since January 2004. Before taking up the Cabinet post, Ban had also served as foreign policy advisor to President Roh Moo-hyun and other top Foreign Ministry posts since joining the ministry in 1970.

"Based on 40 years of service as a diplomat and my experience in the Roh government pushing for reform and renovation, I will make the utmost efforts" in heading the U.N., if elected.

Ban, who majored in international relations at Seoul National University, also studied public administration at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Born in Chungju, a city in central South Korea, Ban is also fluent in both English and French.

Seoul, Oct. 3 (Yonhap News)