The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has held a ceremony in honor of Ban Ki-moon's election as the eighth U.N. secretary-general.

After attending the ceremony on Tuesday, Ban told reporters that he would do his best at his new job. He said his shoulders were heavy amid high expectations as all eyes were on the first U.N. chief from South Korea, a semi-developed country.

Ban went on to say that, during his service at the world body, he hoped South Koreans’ understanding of the world would deepen and contribute to a better future for the nation.

He also attended an awards ceremony where he received the 2006 Proud Korean Award from the Journalist Federation of Korea.

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