Ban Ki Moon

The appointment of Ban, 59, a soft-spoken moderate who has served as presidential foreign policy adviser for 11 months, is expected to soothe anxiety within the conservative establishment over the Jan. 15 resignation of Yoon Young Kwan as foreign minister.

Yoon's abrupt departure was widely seen as a victory for the more anti-American forces within the administration. But officials Jan. 16 hastened to reassure the public that the change of foreign ministers would not impair the traditional alliance with the United States.

Roh, who took office last February, campaigned on a populist platform in which he promised to constantly seek input from the electorate and not to "kowtow" to the United States in foreign relations.

The Japan Times Weekly: Jan. 24, 2004
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