By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
When Ban Ki-moon was named secretary-general of the United Nations in 2006, it increased the aspirations of many young Koreans already hoping to work for the international organization.
The job seekers barraged the staff of the U.N. Association of the Republic of Korea with questions about filing job applications.
``Some also asked our staff members how they could become diplomats as well. All the increased interest came after diplomat Ban Ki-moon was called upon to lead the U.N. as secretary-general that year,'' Park Soo-gil, a former South Korean ambassador to the United Nations, said in an interview with The Korea Times .
In August 2009, the 76-year-old was elected president of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) in the 39th Plenary Assembly held in Seoul. Park will serve the post for three years.
The WFUNA was created in 1946, one year after the establishment of the United Nations, to help the international institution make a difference in humanitarian areas.
``The Ban effect'' has increased the younger generation's interest in the organization, which is an auspicious sign, being that their future participation is essential for the international organization to achieve its various goals, Park said.
Park advised those interested to cultivate professional skills, strengthen foreign language proficiency and actively participate in various social activities.
``To become part of the global organization, young people need to think big, act big, be ambitious and try to look far ahead,'' Park said.
In addition, those aspiring to become U.N. staff members should have professional experience in their areas of specialization and be able to fluently communicate in two or more international languages, he said.
Park defended Ban's so-called "quiet diplomacy'' which critics say exposes the U.N. chief to criticism that his contact and meetings with dictators and authoritarian leaders have not led them to change their ways.
Some detractors claimed that "(Ban's) frequent contacts with unsavory leaders have contributed to the United Nations' reputation as a forum for grubby compromises,'' the Washington Post reported last week.
Park stressed that being U.N. secretary-general is a tough job.
``This is why some jokingly said UNSG referring to the U.N. secretary-general also stands for U.N. scapegoat. All eyes are on the U.N. chief and expectations are high,'' he said.
Park said people use different standards and criteria when rating the performance of the U.N. chief and that therefore it's natural that people have different views about Ban's accomplishments.
Quoting Ban's recent comment that: "I welcome criticisms. Criticisms, when it is constructive, helps me improve my work and my performance," Park said his remarks demonstrate that the open-mindedness of the world leader.
Park also said that it is necessary to make a holistic evaluation of secretary-general's performance in order to get a full picture of his leadership.
Currently, there are about 350 hard-working, dedicated Koreans working under the U.N. system.