The UN Secretariat says a member of the K-pop sensation Girls’ Generation will serve as a goodwill ambassador to the UN Pavilion at the 2012 Expo in Yeosu that opens next Sunday.

The UN body announced Thursday that Seohyun took on the role as she shares in the UN Pavilion’s aim to promote the importance of marine environment around the world.

A ceremony naming Seohyun as the UN Pavilion’s goodwill ambassador was held in late March when UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited South Korea to attend the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit.

A total of 24 UN agencies will gather at the UN Pavilion in the Yeosu Expo under the leadership of Ban and hold exhibitions on the importance of the marine and coastal environments.