U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon Sparks Speculations Of His Presidential Candidacy As He Climbs Mount Taishan Which Is Often Visited By Presidential Hopefuls In South Korea
Early in September, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon climbed the auspicious Mount Taishan in China that has been a symbolic and ceremonial practice for people in South Korea aspiring for the presidential position, reported The Chosun Ilbo Oct. 8.
This was done by presidential hopefuls as the Chinese emperors formerly held ceremonies on the historical mountain to accept the mandate of heaven.
Mount Taishan is located at the north of the city of Tai'an in Shandong province, China. Its highest peak is known as the Jade Emperor Peak, which is 1,545 meters tall. The auspicious mountain is among the "Five Great Mountains," which also includes Mount Huashan, Mount Hengshan (Hunan), Mount Hengshan (Shanxi) and Mount Songshan. Mount Taishan is considered the principal mountain of China and symbolizes sunrise, birth and renewal.
Ban's move to climb Mount Taishan is viewed by most as a sign of him eyeing presidency in South Korea after his retirement from the U.N.
According to the Chinese media, Ban's climb on Sept. 4, along with his wife, was rainy and was deemed lucky by the people who believes that climbing the mountain drenched is a good sign. Photos online showed Ban holding an umbrella as he climbed Mount Taishan, while praying for good fortune with his significant other.
"I always wanted to visit Mount Taishan," Ban was quoted saying. "You can overcome any difficulty if you climb it."
Ban Ki Moon was born in 1944 in the farming village of Haengchi in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong province in South Korea. Ban was an excellent student growing up, taking up international relations at the Seoul National University and earning Master of Public Administration at Harvard University.
On January 2007, Ban succeeded Kofi Annan as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, implementing major reforms on peacekeeping. In 2013, he was listed by Forbes as the 32nd most powerful person in the world and was named third most powerful Korean in 2014.
