This piece first published by Ohmynews on 2006-10-01 15:18 (KST)
Millions of dollars have been spent in lobbying for Ban ki-moon, says British newpaper
The third straw poll results among 15 members of the U.N. Security Council showed that South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon once again took the lead in the race to succeed Kofi Annan, who will step down as his 10-year term ends on Dec. 31.
As soon as the U.N. Security Council announced the third straw poll result, the British newspaper The Times published an investigation saying millions of dollars have been spent by the South Korean government to secure its candidate as the next U.N. secretary-general.
"The inducements range from tens of millions of pounds of extra funding for African countries to lucrative trade agreements in Europe -- and even the gift of a grand piano to Peru," the paper said.
Ban Ki-moon is now considered the top candidate for the U.N. Secretary General post. He took the lead in three consecutive most recent straw polls among 15 members of the U.N. Security Council.
In the secret straw poll held in July, Ban received 12 "encourage" votes among 15 the Security Council members. In the Aug. 31 straw poll, Ban Ki-Moon received 14 "encourage" votes and only one "discourage" vote. In the third poll on Sept. 28, Ban only received 13 "encourage" votes but still took the lead in the race.
One more straw poll will be held Monday within U.N. Security Council members. The vote for the next U.N. Secretary General will be held before Oct. 31.
According to The Times, since officially joining the race in February, Ban Ki-moon has traveled extensively around the world to gain support from members of the Security Council.
In March, South Korea announced it would triple its aid budget to Africa to $100 million (53 million pounds) by 2008. Seoul then sponsored a large sum of money to African Union summit held in the Gambia in July. Mr. Ban also declared 2006 to be "the Year of Africa" for South Korea.
One of the biggest beneficiaries was Tanzania, a current member of the UN Security Council. In May, Ban pledged an $18 million aid package for an educational program, the paper said.
He also promised to carry out a road and bridge project in western Tanzania. The gift seems to have worked, the paper added. Elly Matango, the Tanzanian Ambassador to Tokyo and Seoul, officially announced Tanzania support for Ban.
South Korea also signed a co-operation agreement with Peru and donates a grand piano to the Inca cultural center. South Korean Kia Motors Corporation built a $1 billion factory in Slovakia. A Korean cultural center was opened in the capital city of Argentina.
Under the title "Millions of dollars and a piano may put Korean in U.N.'s top job," the newspaper concluded, "The aid campaign is crucial in race to succeed Kofi Annan".
Predictably, South Korean government reacted strongly to the accusation, denying that it was using aid campaigns as a means of lobbying for Ban. The Times quoted In Joon-chung, a spokesman for the South Korean Embassy in London, as saying, "I would like to stress that the allegations against Mr. Ban Ki-moon and, moreover, the integrity of the Korean government do not correspond with the facts."
He noted that Seoul had decided in 2002 to increase aid to the developing world, adding that the visit to Greece was planned a year ago because Athens had been an ally of Seoul in the Korean War.
Millions of dollars have been spent in lobbying for Ban ki-moon, says British newpaper
The third straw poll results among 15 members of the U.N. Security Council showed that South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon once again took the lead in the race to succeed Kofi Annan, who will step down as his 10-year term ends on Dec. 31.
As soon as the U.N. Security Council announced the third straw poll result, the British newspaper The Times published an investigation saying millions of dollars have been spent by the South Korean government to secure its candidate as the next U.N. secretary-general.
"The inducements range from tens of millions of pounds of extra funding for African countries to lucrative trade agreements in Europe -- and even the gift of a grand piano to Peru," the paper said.
Ban Ki-moon is now considered the top candidate for the U.N. Secretary General post. He took the lead in three consecutive most recent straw polls among 15 members of the U.N. Security Council.
In the secret straw poll held in July, Ban received 12 "encourage" votes among 15 the Security Council members. In the Aug. 31 straw poll, Ban Ki-Moon received 14 "encourage" votes and only one "discourage" vote. In the third poll on Sept. 28, Ban only received 13 "encourage" votes but still took the lead in the race.
One more straw poll will be held Monday within U.N. Security Council members. The vote for the next U.N. Secretary General will be held before Oct. 31.
According to The Times, since officially joining the race in February, Ban Ki-moon has traveled extensively around the world to gain support from members of the Security Council.
In March, South Korea announced it would triple its aid budget to Africa to $100 million (53 million pounds) by 2008. Seoul then sponsored a large sum of money to African Union summit held in the Gambia in July. Mr. Ban also declared 2006 to be "the Year of Africa" for South Korea.
One of the biggest beneficiaries was Tanzania, a current member of the UN Security Council. In May, Ban pledged an $18 million aid package for an educational program, the paper said.
He also promised to carry out a road and bridge project in western Tanzania. The gift seems to have worked, the paper added. Elly Matango, the Tanzanian Ambassador to Tokyo and Seoul, officially announced Tanzania support for Ban.
South Korea also signed a co-operation agreement with Peru and donates a grand piano to the Inca cultural center. South Korean Kia Motors Corporation built a $1 billion factory in Slovakia. A Korean cultural center was opened in the capital city of Argentina.
Under the title "Millions of dollars and a piano may put Korean in U.N.'s top job," the newspaper concluded, "The aid campaign is crucial in race to succeed Kofi Annan".
Predictably, South Korean government reacted strongly to the accusation, denying that it was using aid campaigns as a means of lobbying for Ban. The Times quoted In Joon-chung, a spokesman for the South Korean Embassy in London, as saying, "I would like to stress that the allegations against Mr. Ban Ki-moon and, moreover, the integrity of the Korean government do not correspond with the facts."
He noted that Seoul had decided in 2002 to increase aid to the developing world, adding that the visit to Greece was planned a year ago because Athens had been an ally of Seoul in the Korean War.
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