Ban Ki-moon ‘baffled’ by South Korea presidency speculation

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon denied on Monday that his current South Korea visit was testing the waters for an eventual presidential bid, saying his comments on the subject had been exaggerated.

Mr Ban arrived in his home country last week for a six-day visit that has been dominated by speculation over a possible run for the South Korean presidency in 2017 — after he steps down from his UN post at the end of 2016.

An initial statement that he might seek “advice” on what to do when he returns to South Korea as an ordinary citizen, was jumped on by the local media as the clearest indication yet that he is considering the role.

But on Monday, Mr Ban said he was “baffled” by the “exaggerated” spin put on his remarks and insisted there was no personal or political element to his visit.

“I hope you will refrain from over-interpreting or speculating about my actions here,” Mr Ban told a press conference in the southern city of Gyeongju.

“Actually, I’m the person who best knows what I plan to do and I will have to do the decision-making,” he added.