Ban Ki-moon abandons election bid

 AFP, SEOUL: Former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon abruptly ended his attempt to seek South Korea’s presidency Wednesday, dropping a lifetime of diplomacy to denounce his country’s political establishment.
Ban returned home last month after a decade in New York and was widely expected to run in elections due this year, but his putative candidacy ran into a series of stumbles and he struggled for backing.
“I will give up my pure intention to bring about a change in politics under my leadership and to unify the country,” he told reporters at a hastily arranged press conference. “I’m sorry for disappointing many people.”
Although he never officially declared he was running, the former UN chief embarked on a series of public appearances and repeatedly spoke of the need to bring about a “change in politics” in a country where a wide-ranging corruption scandal has seen President Park Geun-Hye impeached.
Reports claimed he had signed a contract to rent a 660-square metre office in Seoul, and as recently as Tuesday he was urging a change to the constitution to dilute the sweeping executive powers of the presidency and ensure more co-operative governance.

 

Ban Ki-moon abandons election bid

AFP, SEOUL: Former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon abruptly ended his attempt to seek South Koreas presidency Wednesday, dropping a lifetime of diplomacy to denounce his countrys political establishment. Ban returned home last month after a decade in New York and was widely expected to run in elections due this year, but his putative candidacy ran into a series of stumbles and he struggled for backing. I will give up my pure intention to bring about a change in politics under my leadership and to unify the country, he told reporters at a hastily arranged press conference. Im sorry for disappointing many people. Although he never officially declared he was running, the former UN chief embarked on a series of public appearances and repeatedly spoke of the need to bring about a change in politics in a country where a wide-ranging corruption scandal has seen President Park Geun-Hye impeached. Reports claimed he had signed a contract to rent a 660-square metre office in Seoul, and as recently as Tuesday he was urging a change to the constitution to dilute the sweeping executive powers of the presidency and ensure more co-operative governance.