U.N.'s Ban welcomed home to S. Korea

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was warmly welcomed Thursday on his first visit to his native South Korea since becoming the U.N. chief. Ban will meet with South Korean officials as well as receive a U.N. flag from South Korea's first astronaut Lee So-yeon, who took it into space in April, Yonhap News Agency reported. He will travel to Japan Saturday to attend the G8 summit. I am so happy and moved to visit my homeland and meet you 18 months after I took office in January of last year, Ban told reporters and officials at a military airport near Seoul. I should have come here earlier. I am so sorry for being late due to urgent international issues. He repeated his call for South Korea to play a larger role in international affairs. The international society is faced with climate change, food shortages, and high oil prices,... [read full story]