UN chief to address IOC meeting in Sochi

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, later this week, his office confirmed Monday.

Ban also plans to deliver a keynote speech at the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s general assembly there to run from Wednesday to Friday. Ban will speak about the social role of the IOC and sports.

He will become the first U.N. chief to address the annual IOC session. The IOC has an observer status at the 193-member organization.

Whether Ban will join the opening ceremony for the games on Friday had drawn keen media attention. U.S. President Barack Obama and several world leaders are skipping it amid concerns about possible terrorist attacks and criticism about Russia's human rights record and its stance on gay rights.

Last week, Ban, formerly South Korea's foreign minister, asked the participants of the Olympics to advocate equality and non-discrimination during the games.

"The participants in the Sochi Games may carry the flags of many nations, but they come together under the shared banner of equality, fair play, mutual respect and non-discrimination," he said in a statement. (Yonhap)