The head of the largest international body defended his performance, saying he couldn't please each and every interest group, adding that he would not dwell on some of the negative media reports, but instead would focus on his task ahead and do it well.
"It's natural that there are both praises and criticisms on my work as the highest-ranking official of the U.N. I am open to the criticisms," the U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon told JoongAng Ilbo Saturday.
Ban noted that the international body is composed of 192 countries that have different interests. Furthermore, the interests of the so-called developed and developing countries are also different. Besides, there are 300 to 400 U.N. accredited journalists who pursue different aspects.
"If I don't meet any of their expectations, they will write something negative about me," he said. "I prefer not to dwell on each and every criticism."
He said people also underestimate the fact that the U.N. is not run like a private company where the head office gives orders to its local branches, which would obey them, adding the egalitarian nature of the international body means exhaustive negotiations among the member states that might not yield immediate agreement.
"The structure here could frustrate one," he said.
But he immediately added that frustration is not necessarily the dominant atmosphere at the U.N., saying the international body, for example, successfully raised more than a $1 trillion fund at the April G20 meeting in London that could be used for the world to overcome the financial crisis.
Ban's schedule is very hectic. During the first half of this year, he already logged a long distance, equivalent to travel seven times around the world.
He is known to sleep about four hours a day, and manages his health by "working hard," saying his focus on the task at hand keep him mentally alert.
But some observers pointed out that Ban's "Eastern-style" manner of keeping a low-profile of his achievements is causing a "cultural misunderstanding" in the international body that had been used to the "Western approach" in which his predecessors proactively reached out to the media to promote their work.