The U.N. General Assembly on Friday approved South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon as the next U.N. secretary-general, the last step in the process allowing him to assume the post on January 1. The General Assembly vote was a formality after the 15-nation Security Council recommended Ban as Kofi Annan's successor on Monday. He was approved for a five-year term. Ban will take the oath of office sometime in December, the General Assembly spokesman said. Once in office, he is expected to push through long-delayed reforms to make the United Nations leaner and more effective.
