Welcome ceremony for ex-UN chief Ban Ki-moon

During the supreme council meeting on Monday, Rep. Choo Mi-ae, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, criticized the welcome event arranged by the Foreign Ministry for former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is coming to Korea on Thursday, saying, “To hold a welcome event based on no legal grounds practically constitutes a political move by the Park Geun-hye administration to drum up voters for Ban.” On Jan. 5, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it will provide proper protocol for Ban matching his capacity as (former) UN secretary-general, such as by arranging meetings for Ban with acting president, speaker of the National Assembly and Chief Justice.

Examples in other countries suggest that UN secretary-general enjoys the level of protocol between president and prime minister; therefore, demonstration of courtesy is necessary even though he is not in office anymore. If Ban is stepping down as a civilian, an even grander welcome ceremony would have been in order. However, Ban is a political figure presumed to be preparing for presidential race. Even a conservative gesture of reception can cause suspicions. It has been reported that Ban is planning to take the subway from the airport to meet citizens in person. If Ban declined the ceremony offered by the government and got the equal treatment as other presidential candidates, it would be one of the wiser moves he could make.

On the other hand, it is also ignoble of the Minjoo Party to disparage the former UN chief unilaterally. “Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon failed to come up with solutions to main issues such as refugee control, conflict mediation in countries such as Syria, eradication of communicable diseases, and North Korea’s nuclear program. He should stop day-dreaming and start explaining about his reputations such as the “worst Secretary General in UN history,” “invisible man,” and “powerless observer and nowhere man,” said Minjoo Party spokesman Ki Dong-min on Sunday.

The opposition party, however, needs to remember that it was the Roh Moo-hyun administration, where the party's former chief Moon Jae-in served as his chief presidential secretary, which provided support for Ban to send him to the UN. The 10 years that Ban spent as the UN chief must have been interspersed with both merits and demerits. The Minjoo Party must keep it in mind that disparaging Ban, simply because he is a potential political rival, will backfire to the party and hurt the nation’s pride.