Oct. 13, 2006 (Reuters) -- The U.N. General Assembly approved South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon on Friday as the next U.N. secretary-general, the last step in the process allowing him to assume the post on January 1.
Ban, 62, is the first Asian leader since Burma's U Thant held the post from 1961 to 1971. Asian nations had insisted it was their turn for the job to succeed Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian, who has led the 192-member world body for the past decade.Ban was approved by acclamation for a five-year term as the world's top diplomat.
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