10月9日，聯合國安理會15個成員國一致通過向聯大推薦韓國外交通商部長官潘基文擔任下任聯合國秘書長，這是繼緬甸人吳丹后第二位來自亞洲的聯合國秘書長。不過，就在安理會提名潘基文成為新任秘書長的前幾個小時，朝鮮進行了地下核試驗，吸引了全世界的目光，這將意味著潘基文未上任就面臨嚴峻挑戰。對此，潘基文表示，韓國將支持聯合國安理會采取必要措施，“韓國政府絕對支持聯合國安理會作出的任何決議，我們將與國際社會緊密合作。韓國政府已經發表嚴重抗議，表達了深切關注，朝鮮必須承擔所有后果。”

South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon delivers a speech after he was nominated to succeed Kofi Annan as the new UN Secretary General.(AFP/Kim Jae-Hwan) The United Nations (UN) Security Council has nominated South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon as its choice to succeed Kofi Annan as UN secretary general. Ban had earlier told reporters that South Korea supports an emergency Security Council meeting following North Korea's nuclear test. "My government fully supports the immediate convening of a Security Council meeting tomorrow New York time," Ban said in a meeting with US ambassador Alexander Vershbow. "We will very closely cooperate with the international community." Ban's remarks came as the United States called for immediate action by the Council after North Korea's announcement that it detonated its first nuclear device on Monday. The Seoul government vowed to "sternly deal with" Pyongyang's act, saying it would not tolerate a nuclear-armed North Korea. "Our government has issued a very strong statement expressing our deepest concern," Ban told the US envoy. "All the consequences should be borne by North Koreans." Ban said he had had emergency telephone conferences with his US and Japanese counterparts. Ban, 62, is set to be designated as the next UN secretary general when the Security Council meets Monday to formalize its choice. It is expected to recommend him to the 192-member General Assembly, which will then formally elect him -- most likely later this month. Ban would take office next January to replace Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian who steps down after having completed two five-year terms. Ban would be the first Asian to run the UN in more than 30 years. (Agencies)

Vocabulary:

detonate: 引爆 emergency telephone conferences: 緊急電話會議 （英語點津陳蓓編輯）