UNITED NATIONS (AP) - On a day when North Korean announced it had successfully conducted a nuclear test explosion, the UN Security Council officially nominated South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon on Monday to be the world body's next secretary general.

 

Under the UN Charter, the 15-member Security Council makes a recommendation for the next secretary general to the 192-member General Assembly, which must give final approval.

"The Security Council has just recommended to the General Assembly that Mr. Ban Ki-moon be appointed secretary general of the United Nations" on Jan. 1 when Secretary General Kofi Annan's second five-year term expires, Japan's UN ambassador, Kenzo Oshima, told reporters after the council voted at a private meeting.

In Seoul, Ban expressed gratitude for being nominated and said he would work to resolve the crisis over North Korea's nuclear program.

If appointed to the top job, Ban said he would "contribute as much as I can to the resolution of all kinds of problems, including the North Korean nuclear issue, that may threaten international peace and security."