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South Korean foreign minister named next U.N. leader

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UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The U.N. General Assembly has appointed South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to serve as the United Nations' next secretary-general from January 1.

Ban will succeed Kofi Annan when his second five-year term expires at the end of this year.

Ban, 62, will be the world body's eighth secretary general and the first from Asia since U Thant of Burma (now Myanmar) served from 1961 to 1971.

"Mr. Ban, I am delighted that your election turned out this way -- early and orderly," Annan said after the approval Friday.

The General Assembly adopted by acclamation the resolution appointing Ban.

"Surely that is the way we would wish all secretaries-general to be elected," Annan said

"I would say that the process worked well because member states were determined to achieve an early outcome, and because the winning candidate had exceptional qualifications."

Ban was one of seven candidates bidding to be the U.N. chief. He had topped all four informal polls in the U.N. Security Council.

Hundreds of diplomats and U.N. staff members in the chamber broke into loud applause when assembly president Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa asked the 192-nation world body to adopt the resolution by acclamation. She then banged the gavel and said, "It is so decided," The Associated Press reported.

Ban will oversee an organization with 92,000 peacekeepers around the world and a $5 billion annual budget. The United Nation's reputation has been tarnished by corruption scandals, and its outdated practices need reform to meet the challenges of the 21st century, AP reported.

The appointment of the South Korean official came less than a week after North Korea said it had tested a nuclear weapon, heightening tensions in the region, AP reported.

The United States said Friday a preliminary finding showed evidence of radioactivity where the apparent test was thought to have been conducted. (Full story)

The security council votes Saturday on whether to impose sanctions on North Korea, according to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton. (Full story)

Annan hailed Ban as "a future secretary-general who is exceptionally attuned to the sensitivities of countries and constituencies in every continent," and said he would be "a man with a truly global mind at the helm of the world's only universal organization."

Copyright 2006 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

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