Inner City Press: south korea

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Friday, January 20, 2017

US Asks For Ban Ki-moon Brother To Be Extradited, Cover Up By Censorship Crumbling

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 20 – Ban Ki-moon left the UN on January 1 and tellingly his first move was to take legal action against the press. Before he left, he named his own son in law Siddarth Chatterjee to the top UN top in Kenya.

Now the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York has asked South Korea to arrest and extradite Ban Ki-moon's brother Ban Ki Sang. The cover up by censorship is crumbling.

Just as Ban left his brother Ban Ki Sang and his nephew Dennis Bahn, of whom Inner City Press has asked Ban's UN spokespeople since at latest May 2015, were indicted for bribery. Bahn was described using his family connections - Ban Ki-moon - to try to sell real estate in Vietnam.

Inner City Press' questions to Ban's longtime spokesman Stephane Dujarric were referred to a Ban supporter in Seoul, Lee Do-woon, at a number which was never answered. On January 17, after Inner City Press appeared on TBS radio in South Korea about Ban's corruption and censorship, Dujarric provided a number for a second spokesman: Yoon Won-joong.

After speaking with him, Inner City Press on January 18 asked UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, video here, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: I guess it was Stéphane Dujarric that sent the phone number of a second Ban Ki-moon Spokesman. I did speak to him, but in fact, the coverage there is giving rise to a question I have to ask you as the UN. There’s a story in today’s Korea Times, the title of which is “Prosecutors say Ban Ki-moon was ‘indeed on bribery list.’” And it describes a list that was provided by Mr Park of Taekwang Industry, saying he had given money to Ban Ki-moon during the time frame that he was Secretary-General. So the question becomes… there are… obviously, there are questions to Ban Ki-moon there. The question becomes, when did South Korean prosecutors -- because this article says that what would have held them up was… was immunity, that, as Secretary-General, they would be unclear whether they could even question him or go… or look into this matter. Was the UN contacted by the prosecutors about this Park list? And, if so, what did they do?

Deputy Spokesman: No, I don’t have any comment on that.

Inner City Press: It’s a UN question. I mean, do you acknowledge… because I talked to the guy for about five minutes yesterday, but he said those are UN questions.

Deputy Spokesman: I don’t actually have any comment on this.

Well, the UN will have to. We'll have more on this.

Late on January 17, from New York, Inner City Press reached Yoon Won-joong and asked him when Ban Ki-moon knew that his nephew was using his name to try to sell real estate, and what he did.

Yoon Won-joong said "I don't know when, exactly, he knew about it." It is an important question.

Yoon Won-joong told Inner City Press, "he has no further comment at this point. Maybe later on, he may make several announcements in relation to that issue... I can ask him how he tried to proceed this issue... Then I'll be aware how he stands."

We'll be waiting. For now, given push-back, here is the complete audio, on SoundCloud, here.

"He will be joining a political party, probably, after Chinese New Year. The UN doesn't want to mention about him anymore. He came back to Korea as a general citizen and he wants to stay on that status for a while."

Maybe forever. Not ready for prime time. Yoon Won-joong ended the call asking to be sent a text. He received these two:

"since Inner City Press in May 2015 asked the UN spokespeople about Dennis Bahn using Ban Ki-moon's name to try to sell the building in Vietnam (and working at UN landlord Colliers), when did Mr. Ban Ki-moon become aware of each of those? And what did he do?"

"there is also the question of Ban Ki Ho: when did Ban Ki-moon become aware of Ban Ki Ho's business in Myanmar, what does he know about the UN delegation the Myanmar government lists Ban Ki Ho being a part of, or any other UN system meeting with Myanmar officials with Ban Ki Ho attended?"

We are awaiting answers.

Ban's scripted re-entry to South Korea has featured the kissing of babies, the mis-introduction of money into the express train subway, and claims he advocated for the downtrodden - despite selling out 10,000 dead Haitians, and more Yemenis than that.

But questions of corruption and nepotism have continued to mount.

On January 16-17 Inner City Press, which Ban had evicted from the UN as it reported on his corruption, was interviewed on Seoul's TBS Radio show "News Factory of Kim Ou-Joon," their transcript here (just machine-translate), Periscope here.

The topics TBS Radio asked about included Ban Ki-sang, Dennis Bahn, Ban Ki Ho and Ban Ki-moon's eviction and restriction of Inner City Press, which remains ongoing under Ban's holdover head of DPI Cristina Gallach. Some excerpts:

Q: It has been Mr. Ban 's brother since a few years ago. Mr. And Collier International, whose son Bahn Joo Hyun joined the company and sold the Vietnamese building. Does this company have anything to do with the United Nations?

Matthew: I have been suspicious of Dennis Bahn for a long time before this indictment. Because Denis Bahn was working for Collier International, Colliers International could be said to be a lease for a UN building. It is a company that receives rent from the United Nations. I used to ask the United Nations if Dennis Bahn could work at Colliers International. Before Mr. Ban Joo tried to sell a building in Vietnam, I think there is a problem in his own work that Ban Ki-moon has worked for a company that his relatives can call a lease of the United Nations. I was not convinced at all. I argued that there should be provisions for the benefit of UN affiliates for the relatives of senior UN personnel. I already asked Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for Ban Ki -moon in May 2015, about Ban 's nephew. Information about this case has been released since 2015. In fact, not only that, but Mr. Banjo knows that he has been fined for manipulating documents in addition to the charges. But the United Nations has not responded to this and other reporters in charge of the United Nations have not covered the case. To say that Ban Ki-moon does not know about this incident is not making sense at all.

Except to outgoing US Ambassador Samantha Power...

On January 13, when Inner City Press asked outgoing US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power about the indictment of Ban Ki-moon's brother and nephew, who used Ban's and UN's name to try to sell a building in Vietnam.

Tellingly, Samantha Power said no comment, "that does not involve the UN." Video here.That is false - the indictment describes Ban Ki-moon's nephew Dennis Bahn using the UN General Assembly to angle to meet the Amir of Qatar, which Ban Ki-moon in fact did, on September 24, 2013.

But it's a two-way streets. One of Ban's very first announcements in South Korea is that he supports the US' deployment of THAAD missiles.

One hand washes the other. But one hand is leaving, and the other may well lose. Watch this site.

Even on his main claim, of being a solution to the North Korea problems, Ban Ki-moon has been a failure. Click here for 2011 coverage from Inner City Press, which Ban Ki-moon is desperation in 2016 would have his head of "Communications" Cristina Gallach evict from the UN, and restrict still. How different is Ban Ki-moon from is portrayal of Kim Jong-un?

Interest in South Korea is growing about Ban Ki-moon's brother Ban Ki-ho's mining in Myanmar, including Ki-ho not only being on a "UN delegation" as ICP first reported, but having a January 21, 2015 meeting with Myanmar officials - and UN officials. We'll have more on this: including on an upcoming South Korean radio program.

Ban's moonlighting mentor Han Seung-soo was allowed by Ban to be a UN official while his Doosan Infracore sold desalinization equipment in the UAE, where Han gave speeches - and sold equipment to a gold miner(hmm) in Myanmar.

And after leaving the UN, Ban openly enlisted a person still in the UN job he'd given him, Jeffrey Sachs, to campaign for South Korea's presidency with him. This is now reported by CNBC as well, here.

Inner City Press on January 9 asked Ban's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric about Sachs' comments and Dujarric said, as he so often does without coming back with anything, that he will look into it. Video here.

This while media reports link “full time” UN official Kim Won-soo to Ban's wannabe campaign.

Ban Ki-moon has used and abused the UN, not only the General Assembly resolution he is ignoring by running, but by using public taxpayers' money to further his own ambition.

In his final year Ban evicted Inner City Press from the UN, where still under his successor it remains restricted to minders to cover events on the UN's second floor.

Back in 2009, when Inner City Press reported on Ban's nepotism in connection with a promotion of Ban's son in law, an invitation to lunch came from South Korea's Mission to the UN.

Then deputy ambassador Kim Bong-hyun used the lunch to berate Inner City Press on how to cover (and not cover) Ban. (The article, and his full reply, are here). Now he's listed on Ban's campaign team, along with still UN official Kim Won-soo and former South Korean Ambassadors to the UN Kim Sook and Oh Joon.

Oh Joon has just given an interview claiming that press criticism of Ban Ki-moon is of his "inclusive leadership." How about his nepotism: son in law promoted to top UN job in Kenya, nephew with UN landlord, brother Ki-ho mining in Myanmar after being on a UN delegation?

Tellingly, the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services never looked into or acted on these; Ban through still at the UN Cristina Gallach had Inner City Press evicted and still restricted, still even on January 9, 2017 harassed for daring to cover the UN...

Sachs, Ban and his fan club, UN Censorship Alliance, UN Photo

In early January, Inner City Press asked Kim Won-soo directly, when will you be leaving the UN? He refused to answer, backing away smiling. But it is no joke, to take public funds while reportedly on the campaign team of a political candidate. We'll have more on this.

Monday, January 16, 2017

Ban Ki-moon Corruption Exposed By ICP on Seoul Radio, Nephew Qs, Power Cover Up

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 16 – Ban Ki-moon left the UN on January 1 and tellingly his first move was to take legal action against the press. Before he left, he named his own son in law Siddarth Chatterjee to the top UN top in Kenya.

Except to outgoing US Ambassador Samantha Power...

But it's a two-way streets. One of Ban's very first announcements in South Korea is that he supports the US' deployment of THAAD missiles.

One hand washes the other. But one hand is leaving, and the other may well lose. Watch this site.

This while media reports link “full time” UN official Kim Won-soo to Ban's wannabe campaign.

Ban Ki-moon has used and abused the UN, not only the General Assembly resolution he is ignoring by running, but by using public taxpayers' money to further his own ambition.

In his final year Ban evicted Inner City Press from the UN, where still under his successor it remains restricted to minders to cover events on the UN's second floor.

Back in 2009, when Inner City Press reported on Ban's nepotism in connection with a promotion of Ban's son in law, an invitation to lunch came from South Korea's Mission to the UN.

Sachs, Ban and his fan club, UN Censorship Alliance, UN Photo

Friday, December 30, 2016

Ban Ki-moon's Staged Last Day At UN Has Korean-Only Campaign Statement, Minders For Investigative Press

By Matthew Russell Lee, Video here

UNITED NATIONS, December 30 -- Ban Ki-moon ceases to be UN Secretary General on December 31 at midnight and will at that moment lose his immunity and, it was supposed to be, his UN perks including free housing.

But in typical Ban Ki-moon fashion, Ban will in fact stay on in the UN townhouse on Sutton Place, at least until January 3, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Inner City Press as the last question at the December 23 noon briefing.

On December 30 amid questions not only about nepotism including his nephew Dennis Bahn working for the UN's landlord on 45th Street Colliers International but about receiving $30,000 in cash at a New York restaurant while UN Secretary General (his spokesman has threatened legal action, here,  then denied it, here), Ban Ki-moon held a carefully choreographed final (too) long farewell.

It was to begin at noon by the General Assembly, but as Inner City Press covered the morning's UN Security Council meeting on Syria, and asked which groups have signed on for a ceasefire, it learned that Ban was again going Korean-only.

Just as Ban held a Korean-only meeting in the UN Press Briefing Room Inner City Press was evicted from, and a closed “internal” meeting on December 29 with the Korean-American Association of Greater New York, now he intended a statement “only to the Korean people,” as one participant said.

Inner City Press asked to attended and it was denied. Then Inner City Press managed to get escorted by minder(s) to the Delegates Entrance, where it live-streamed a long Periscope broadcast, edited down to 20 minutes here.

   Ambassadors came in to say goodbye to Ban. One, a West African Permanent Representative, told Inner City Press, “We will ban Ban from this UN compound.” Samantha Power came in, and left early. UN officials lined up for some final face time, including some trying desperately to keep their jobs.

   Finally Ban came down the stairs and glad-handed; some in the media pen even applauded. One correspondent was allowed to leave the pen and speak with Ban.

There was a rush out to limousines - the armored Hyundai the South Korean mission gave Ban or the UN is “no longer in service,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Inner City Press, also saying Ban will stay in the UN / taxpayers' house past the expiration of this term. We'll have more on this - and on the end of immunity. Ban's bad decade was over. Video here.

On December 29, Ban tried to keep the Press out of his meeting in the UN with, it was said in his Public Schedule, New York City Council and Congress members.

   The event, set for 11 am on December 29 in UN Conference Room 8, was listed by Ban's in-house state media UN Television, then on Ban's “public” schedule. But it was not listed as a media opportunity. Inner City Press was told that it was initially open - then deemed “closed.” Why? To avoid the corruption questions Ban's taxpayer funded spokesperson's office has refused to answer?

Inner City Press for the Free UN Coalition for Access made a formal request that Ban's “remarks” to NYC Council and Congress members be open.

But when Inner City Press showed up outside Conference Room 8, where already UN Security officers were stationed, it was told the event was “internal” and would remain closed. Furniture had been moved for a photo op. The participants, nearly all of them Korean, lined up and waited for Ban.

   One man showed a banner with Ban's face on it - then quickly put it away when Inner City Press started filming with its Periscope camera (which was grabbed and thrown by UN thugs outside another praising Ban Ki-moon event on Wall Street on December 16).

   In October, Ban gave a speech to the Council of Korean-Americans which charged $100,000 sponsorships; Ban never released the text of his speech despite six requests by Inner City Press.

   On December 29 in the UN basement Ban arrived, greeted the particpants in Korean, then summoned them into Conference Room 8. Inner City Press again asked to cover it, asking how could it be “internal” if these people didn't work for the UN.

Finally when a Ban aide emerged to tell his UNTV to come in and film, Inner City Press was allowed in, only for the hand-over of “proclamations,” standing in the back. Video here.

   There were, in fact, no NYC City Council or Congress members. The event was by the Korean-American Association of Greater New York and included New York State Assemblyman Ron Kim (who said he was also there for Scott Stringer, who had no public schedule).

There was NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo's deputy for constituent affairs, who afterward spoke openly about Ban's run for South Korea's presidency. Ban left without taking any questions; his spokespeople refused to answer Inner City Press' eight questions on December 27 and six on December 28. Inner City Press has submitted five questions on December 29, on Burundi and South Sudan, corruption and this:

“On the event held in Conference Room 8 today from 11 to 11:30, please provide a list of attendees, and explain why it was listed as NYC City Council and Congress members, and also, why it was called “internal” and the Press not allowed to cover the remarks (which UNTV did) and the whole event (which UN Photo did).”

Watch this site.

Update: 19 hours after the question was submitted, and while leaving 16 of 19 questions over three days unanswered, UN Spokesman Dujarric on December 30 sent this, verbatim: "PRESS COVERAGE OF EVENTS IS DECIDED BY MY OFFICE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS "

When Inner City Press asked questions on the morning of December 27 when Ban's spokesperson's office while paid held no briefing, no answer was given even two days later. The questions asked included:

“Please explain why Ban Ki-moon is not moving out of the UN resident when his term expires and any financial arrangements made to reimburse the UN / taxpayers including for any security. Please state if Ban Ki-moon now expects to meet with the US President-elect before Ban returns to South Korea on January 15 and if not, why not. Regarding December 31, please describe how the Secretary General pushing the button to start the year-end countdown came about, including any role of the NYC Office of International Affairs.”

No answer. This has been Ban's era: arrogance, censorship, entitlement. But at long last, an end to impunity - which Ban misused on his UN having brought cholera to Haiti, and in the Ng Lap Seng UN bribery case.

Following the election of Trump on November 8-9 UN high officials, one of them told Inner City Press on November 14, “have been freaking out. They don't know how much is going to be cut, and from where.”

In this context, and as he still dreams of running for South Korea president, Ban Ki-moon trumped up his “few minutes” phone call with President-Elect (PEOTUS) Trump into one in which he raised “many issues” -- but not, Ban's spokesperson's office told Inner City Press, Yemen.

   Then, with no further communication with Trump, Ban turn this into a commitment or plan to have a face to face meeting. They are both in New York, Ban's spokesperson said coyly.

South Korea's Arirang TV, which has bragged loudly how it got included on the “UN in-house channel” by the UN Department of Public Information's Cristina Gallach, who also evicted and restricts Inner City Press for Ban.

Many larger countries are NOT represented in the UN's EZTV list of channels; critical media once evicted as Inner City Press was by Ban and Gallach no longer have access to it anyway.

But here is a compilation of Arirang overplaying Ban and Trump, Gallach and her UN Censorship Alliance partner - 31 year resident correspondent Giampaolo Pioli lavishing praise on Arirang, even that is is among UN in-house networks Top Four must-see TV.

This is false advertising. We'll have more on this.

And on that UN high officials, one of them told Inner City Press on November 14, “have been freaking out. They don't know how much is going to be cut, and from where.”

   Here's a suggestion, based not only on Inner City Press' personal experience at the UN (NYT here) but interviews with staff, diplomats and elected officials: if there is one UN Department to be cut, even eliminated, it is the Department of Public Information (DPI).

   Since Cristina Gallach of Spain took DPI over, as Ban Ki-moon's attempt to ingratiate himself to Spain during its now-ending UN Security Council term, it has not only evicted the investigative Press without any due process or appeal, it has most recent named as the UN's gender empowerment ambassador not an actual person but rather a cartoon character, Wonder Woman.

   Gallach, after not consulting with staff or even the top of UN Women, ignored the staff and mission protest to her ceremony promoting a forthcoming movie.

    In terms of outright corruption, even the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services audit of the John Ashe / Ng Lap Seng ongoing bribery case found that Gallach did no due diligence of at least two Ng Lap Seng funded events in the UN, including involving the UN's slavery memorial.

    Three strikes and you're out. Further, why does the UN need its own propaganda arm? It debilitates UN officials to think they can avoid the actual Press and do softball “interviews” with the UN's own media. There are some good people in DPI, and not only they but some of their functions could find homes in other Departments. But as of today, and in the near future, the UN Department of Public Information should be cut. We'll have more on this.

As Antonio Guterres prepares to take over as UN Secretary General from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, one litmus test will be whether those Ban-era officials implicated in corruption like the Ng Lap Seng / John Ashse UN bribery case are moved out, or retained for political reasons.

   Here's the test: while Cristina Gallach of Spain, to whom Ban Ki-moon gave the top job at the UN Department of Public Information in an attempt to ingratiate himself to Spain which had just come onto the Security Council, is repeatedly criticized in the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services audit of l'affaire Ng Lap Seng (here at Paragraphs 37-40 and 20b), and summarily evicted the investigative Press for asking her about her role - will she remain?

   Rajoy of Spain may want to keep an Under Secretary General, but is retaliatory incompetent Gallach the right one? Why not give Spain the UN Disarmament USG post, if they get one at all? Gender parity cannot be made a pretext to protect corruption and censorship. Busca una otra.

   Sources tell Inner City Press that Gallach's previous boss and protect, Javier Solana, may try to play his Socialist Party cards to keep her on. But is that appropriate?

Cristina Gallach with indicted Franciso Lorenzo, asked then evicted Press

As the UN bribery scandal gathered force Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for an audit by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services of Sheri Yan's Global Sustainability Foundation (GSF), David Ng Lap Seng's Sun Kian Ip Group and its affiliates including the "World Harmony Foundation" and South South News, among others.

The audit, completed early this year but first put online by Inner City Press, directly criticizes Cristina Gallach, the Under Secretary General for Communications and Public Information, Paragraphs 37-40 -- and 20b.

This last concerns the lack of any due diligence by the UN Department of Public Information under Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach of Ng Lap Seng's GWF's sponsorship of the “Ark of Return” ceremony.

Now in November, a person charged along with Ng Lap Seng, Jeffrey Yin, has made a motion to suppress what he said when arrested in September 2015. His motion says among other things that he was awake for more than 24 hours. Whether it would furhter push back Ng's trial, already put beyond the time when Ban Ki-moon, on whose watch it happened and whose Secretariat including Gallach bear responsibility, is not yet known.

   Even in January, Antonio Guterres will have taken over from Ban Ki-moon. Will Guterres move past Ban Ki-moon's only partial cooperation -- and Ban's and Gallach's retaliation against Inner City Press for having dug into each of their roles in the scandal since October 2015? In that month, Inner City Press asked Gallach about her role in the South South Awards with South South News' Francis Lorenzo. Video here.

In February 2016, on the thinnest of pretexts and without once speaking with Inner City Press, Gallach ordered it out of the UN on two hours notice, then evicted its long time office in April. South South News, described in the case as a conduit for bribery, remains in its office, never asking any quesitons at the UN, like Egyptian state media Akhbar al Yom to which Gallach purports to give Inner City Press' office.

Gallach herself must go - but will she? How, for example, would the laudable ideal of gender parity apply to incompetent or corrupt holdover official? We'll have more on all this.

On August 23, 2016, the International Day for the Remembrance of Slavery and its Abolition, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here

On June 29, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Farhan Haq about it , video here , UN transcript here and below.

On August 11, lawyers for Ng Lap Seng filed in Federal court their formal demand to the UN and Ban Ki-moon's chief lawyer Manuel de Serpa Soares to produce a slew of financial and other information, including all of its communications with South South News.

SSN is described in the file, by the prosecution, as a vehicle of bribery but the UN has left it in its office -- a conflict of interest -- while evicting Inner City Press which asked questions about it. Ban Ki-moon's UN is corrupt. We'll have more on this.

On July 29 Shiwei Yan a/k/a Sheri Yan was sentenced to 20 months in prison, was fined $12,500 and forfeited $300,000. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's press release, here.

As this player in on UN scandal was sentenced, the UN outright stonewalled on basic Press questions about a news scandal, while having evicted the questioning Press and confining it to minders. Then it said the event was canceled as a basis to answer no questions.

This is Ban Ki-moon's UN: Ban attended Sheri Yan's father's one person art show, had his photo taken at it. See here.

Ban and Yan's bio, credit via photo links

The UN claims the Ng Lap Seng and Sheri Yan case has nothing to do with it or especially Ban, who wants to run for President of South Korea. But this is false.

Ban is allowing new privatization of the UN, through UN Security; his spokesman is trying to discourage questions about it by accusing Inner City Press of “unethical Googling,” after having played a role in ousting and evicting Inner City Press. This is Ban's UN.From the prosecutor's new letter:

"in an email dated on or about March 12, 2010, an individual affiliated with the State Council Information Office, an entity of the PRC government, sent an email to a business associate of Ng, containing a draft letter (in Chinese) for Ng to sign or approve. According to a draft translation prepared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), the letter, which began with Ng introducing himself as a member of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (“CPPCC”), a political advisory body, and as the “Chairman of the Board of the United Nations South South News,” stated in pertinent part:

[quote] my greatest wish is to fairly and objectively report the social development, religion, culture, and ideology of China through the South South News, a global media platform authorized by the UN, to display China’s soft power, counter malicious, distorted news by anti-China forces, and let the whole world hear a true voice that comes from China to understand the real China. . . .

. . . I will select suitable regions in China to establish a South South Cooperation Organization International Conference Center and a South South News Network Media Production Center as a base of operations for South South News.

Hope that the plan to establish two centers and the development of South South News in China can obtain strong support from the government of China. [unquote]

As the Court is aware, South South News, the entity described in the above email, is the conduit through which the Government alleges that defendants Ng and Jeff C. Yin funneled some of their bribe and money laundering payments.”

   So it says South South News was “authorized” by the UN; the prosecution says Ng and Yin used South South News as a conduit for bribery in the UN. And as of July 8, South South News still has its UN official from Ban Ki-moon as Inner City Press while investigating it was evicted and is now restricted to only cover events on the UN Conference Building's second floor -- ECOSOC and the Trusteeship Council Chambers, the General Assembly and General Assembly President's office -- with one of Ban Ki-moon's minders. This is Ban's UN.

From the UN's June 29 transcript:

Inner City Press: Monday down in… in Federal Court, there was a hearing for Mr. Ng Lap Seng in the ongoing case, and Assistant District Attorney [Daniel] Richenthal basically widened the case and said they're going to be… there's more things they're looking at as to Ng Lap Seng, and he also described in more detail a, quote, conduit of bribery taking place within the UN. And I wanted to know, since you've said you're monitoring it, what is the UN's response to the new information that was presented on Monday?

Deputy Spokesman: Yeah, we are aware of the latest information, and, as I've pointed out, the situation of South-South News is under review. It continues to be under review, but certainly, any new information is useful in light of that.

After the above, a corporate news wire which has a conflict of interest on this passed through South South News' claims that it has had "no connection with any government at any level" - this is false. But the conflicted corporate wire, with its own Permanent seat on the board of hte UN Correspondents Assocation which took money from Ng's South South News, merely passes through the denial. Call it journalism? We'll have more on this.

On June 27, former South South News reporter turned spokesperson for John Ashe and now his family wrote to the UN press corps, some of whom she saw over the weekend:

"Dear Friends and Dear UN and Media Representatives, I am kindly forwarding a Statement from the Family of the late John. W. Ashe, President of the UN General Assembly 68th Session, at the request of his widowed wife, Anilla Cherian.I have accepted to forward this Statement in my personal capacity and in honor of Ambassador Ashe’s legacy as a long-serving diplomat. I will not be addressing any questions and I do appreciate your understanding.

It was very nice seeing several of you over the weekend. I hope you are all doing well."

If the goal was to distinguish South South News from John Ashe and Ng Lap Seng, this doesn't do it.

The audit deals with South South News - which as of June 27 STILL has a UN office, photo here, UNlike Inner City Press. In Ban's UN one only gets due process if one has money, or pays money, as South South News did, including to the UN Correspondents Association which then gave Ng Lap Seng a photo-op with Ban. Or as the Saudis did to get Ban to remove them from the Yemen Children and Armed Conflict annex.

On June 27 in Federal Court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Richenthal said that South South News was a conduit for bribery involving the now conveniently (and mysteriously) deceased former PGA John Ashe. (Some with links to Ashe try to erase all trace, but here is one: UNCA with AAshe's spokesperson Konja, formerly of South South News), which one wire-with-a-conflict covering this story never mentions. Compare to this.)

Thursday, May 26, 2016

As Ban Ki-moon Politics in South Korea, Cites Saemaul Village Movement, Restricts Press

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 26 -- Soon to be ex-UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is in his native South Korea, where there is a Presidential election in 2017. On May 19, only to South Korean correspondents, Ban Ki-moon's senior adviser Kim Won-soo said and was quoted that Ban's is NOT a political trip. Clearly it is.

But there's a problem: not only Inner City Press, but now The Economist calls Ban Ki-moon the worst and weakest Secretary General ever.

Ban can and has evicted Inner City Press from its long time office at the UN -- but he can't change the track record, from his victory lap in Sri Lanka in 2009, which Inner City Press reported on, to further damaging the UN's reputation in Haiti by insisting on impunity for cholera, to his negligent overseeing of rapes in the Central African Republic.

The UN put this out: in Jeju, Ban "met with Prime Minister HWANG Kyo-Ahn of the Republic of Korea on the margins of the 11th Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity.

"The Secretary-General commended the Prime Minister for his strong leadership at the World Humanitarian Summit earlier this week and the major commitments made by the Government of the Republic of Korea at the summit.

"The Secretary-General emphasized the critical shortage of support from donor countries and expressed his hope that the Republic of Korea would continue to demonstrate its leadership in this regard as the only country in the world that has transformed from an aid-receiving country to an aid-giving OECD country.

"He stated that the countries in need around the world have high expectations of the leadership role that the Republic of Korea plays, including in sharing its development experience and know-how, such as the Saemaul Village Movement." Here's The Economist on that - andhere on Ban. Which do you believe?

Ban is responsible for his Under Secretaries General, from Herve Ladsous to Cristina Gallach. In Jeju Ban said:

"Sri Lanka is overcoming political conflict. [Torture continues]]

"Myanmar is undergoing a peaceful democratic transition [Ban's Renata Lok-Dessalien hides from human rights]
One saying I frequently practice writing is 上善若水 which means, “The highest virtue is to act like water.” Water Now

Water like the drip of corrption at the UN under Ban Ki-mon, and like his attempt to drown the critial Press. We'll have more on this.

A senior Ban administration official more loyal (as they should be) to the UN than Ban tells Inner City Press it seems clear Ban is considering a run in South Korea and that what is is doing and not doing at and through the UN these days is "all about that."

Ban wants to be sure not to be connected to the major and expanding UN bribery scandal that as occurred on his watch. Indictments, guilty pleas, inconvenient pictures of Ban with Francis Lorenzo, John Ashe and even Ng Lap Seng. It now appears that for Ban to run would violate the General Assembly's Resolution of January 24, 1946, on the Terms of Appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, 4(b).

On May 25, Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, video here, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: this has come up during the Secretary-General's trip in South Korea. People are citing a GA (General Assembly) resolution that was passed in January 1946, which says, quote, “because the Secretary-General is a confidante of many governments, it is desirable that no member should offer him at any rate immediately upon retirement any governmental position”. And so they're saying that this is… essentially, it's a GA resolution and that comments now made in Jeju, but the idea of Ban Ki-moon running for President of Korea in 2017 would be contrary to a GA resolution. I'm sure he's aware of this, the mayor of Seoul, a former human rights lawyer, has raised it. Others have raised it. What is his response to how this GA resolution applies to his situation?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, the Secretary-General's response to this entire topic is one that he made clear even today, where he said that right now he's not considering the idea of what he does next after he ceases to be Secretary-General. Right now he is going to focus on his work as Secretary-General. It's at the start of next year that he'll actually have the time and the ability to think about other things.

Inner City Press: I'm sure you've seen all the headlines. All the headlines say that his statement that… that beginning 1 January, he will be back as a South Korean… is taken… I mean, and I understand you can say he's taken, but it doesn't seem unfair to say this is a GA resolution. Does he acknowledge that this is the resolution? And, two, it seems to say immediately… especially immediately upon retirement, this should not be done. So is he saying… what's his response?

Deputy Spokesman: I don't really think that there's any point in trying to read into his words more than what he's said. Right now the idea is he's not considering any sort of post-UN activity. You know, he won't take up that issue until the following year. .

"Because a Secretary-General is a confidant of many governments, it is desirable that no Member should offer him, at any rate immediately on retirement, any governmental position in which his confidential information might be a source of embarrassment to other Members, and on his part a Secretary-General should refrain from accepting any such position."

Inner City Press on May 24 asked about a / the new sponsor of the DPI NGO conference without Ban's Deputy Spokesman proffering an answer. Also on May 24, Inner City Press asked the Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, about the trip and transparency, video here,UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: There's a report today in the Korea Herald, again, speculating… you know, and that's speculation, whether he may run for President. But I wanted to ask you this. They said that… that… that, upon his arrival on Wednesday, Mr. Ban will meet with members of an association of senior journalists and was likely to field questions on his political ambitions. I wanted to know, does your office intend to put out a transcript of that type of meeting? And I'm asking because the same article says that, quote, “Ban had told Korean correspondents in New York that he would appreciate if they, quote, ‘help him bring to a successful conclusion his service as UN Secretary-General’”. And I never saw that quote. Was that… did he actually say that, or was that Mr. Kim? Was there some… how does it work…?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, first of all, sometimes the Secretary-General conducts interviews. As you know, sometimes, they might even be with small group interviews. Those aren't the same as press conferences. We will provide transcripts of all press conferences and press encounters, but interviews, of course, are exclusives for the journalists involved, and so we don't have a transcript put out for those.

Inner City Press: So this thing coming up Wednesday upon his arrival in Jeju, is that a press conference, or what is it?

Deputy Spokesman: I believe that's a group interview, but like I said, if there's press encounters, we'll put those transcripts out.

A number of people in the UN directly connect Ban's ouster and eviction of Inner City Press, which has asked about nepotism (see, the son in law running UNFPA Kenya, and the nephew who worked for the company managing UNDP's building, and promising more) to a desire to prevent or discourage coverage of and inquiry into Ban's role in the Ng Lap Seng scandal.

Ban and his team try to deflect this by saying, as Kim Won-soo has, that it is all Cristina Gallach, you have to talk to Cristina - how? On May 23, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who's said to be preparing to accompany and spin Ban's six (or four) day trip to South Korea

video here, UN transcript here:

Inner City Press: I know that Mr. Kim [Won-soo] did a briefing for South Korean media, I guess, last week trying to say that the upcoming trip has... you know, is in no way indicative of a desire to run for President by the Secretary-General, but there have been other stories including one... I don't know if it's today or yesterday... in the Korea Times saying that several of the Secretary-General's former associates still in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intend to create a foundation in his name saying that Mr. Yoon Yeocheol is now the protocol officer of the President and very much saying it's a six-day trip that it's hard to conclude that it isn't in some way related to the upcoming campaign. Is... what's your... first of all, is Mr. Hyun now the protocol officer of President Park [Geun-Hye]?

Spokesman: This may come as a shock to you, but I speak for the Secretary-General and for the United Nations. I have no... I have a tough enough time keeping tabs on what people do in this organization that I don't know what people do for the Foreign Ministry.

Inner City Press: Okay [Yoon].

Spokesman: I think your question assumes a lot of things. The Secretary-General has made it clear that his focus remains and will remain on his job as Secretary-General.

Inner City Press: It seems fair to ask, is there... is he aware or are you on his behalf aware of attempts to set up a foundation in his name?

Spokesman: I'm not aware.

Inner City Press: Then why is it six days?

Spokesman: Why is it six days?

Inner City Press: Yeah.

Spokesman: He's not going there... he's going there for one day in Jeju Island, and then he's going to the G7. He has one personal day as he's allowed to take to see his family, because he does have family there. And then the next days are spent speaking at the DPI/NGO conference.

Question: [Inaudible: Rotary]

Spokesman: And the Rotary International as well.

Others have noted that while Ban quickly moved to apologize when a (Korean) reporter was jostled at the South Korean mission, he has had nothing to say about Gallach's oust and eviction orders, the physical ouster of Inner City Press from the UN, audio here, and dumping of five boxes of its files on First Avenue. Others note that Ban has had the South Korean mission write speeches he has delivered as "UN" Secretary General. More on this to follow.

For ten years as Inner City Press covered the UN in ever greater detail, showing Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Herve Ladsous' inept overseeing and cover up of sexual abuse and exploitation bypeacekeepers, disparate treatment in Mali, dalliance with genocide in Sri Lanka and prospectively Burundi, impunity for cholera deaths in Haitiand until now for UN lead poisoning in Kosovo and cravenly pro-Saudi position on Yemen amid the airstrikes, it was never thrown out of the UN.

Now it has been, and even as groups like the Government Accountability Project tell Ban to reverse the eviction and give Inner City Press back its long time office and Resident Correspondent pass, Ban's UN tellingly move to award Inner City Press' office to Egypt state media Al-Akhbar / Akhbar Elyoum. Tweeted photograph here.

On May 19, a sign for "Al Akhbar Yom" went up on Inner City Press' office - Inner City Press has STILL never seen the correspondent being given the stolen office. The UN says Resident Correspondents must be at the UN three days a week, but Inner City Press has never seen this person, former UN Correspondents Association president Sanaa Youssef, much less asking a question in the UN noon briefing.

Scribes speaking off the record according to the New York Times of May 14 "accused [ICP] of printing gossip, rumors." That UNCA's president rented an apartment to Palitha Kohona then granted his request to screenin the UN his government's war crimes denial film is no rumor or gossip.

But Akhbar Elyom, to which Gallach's and Ban's MALU and UNCA have given Inner City Press' office, not only gets journalists in Egypt attested - it targets, with a "Muslim Brotherhood" smear, a journalist who works right in the UN. Arabic article here.

This is the journalism that Ban Ki-moon and his Cristina Gallach want and reward. By taking away Inner City Press' office, it is now required to have a minder and is told to not ask diplomats questions. This is censorship.

Akhbar Elyom has been used to finger for imprisonment non-state journalists in Egypt. For example, in July 2015 Aboubakr Khallaf, the founder and head of the independent Electronic Media Syndicate (EMS), “was arrested after a news article was published by the government-owned daily Akhbar Elyoum.” (Article in Arabic here.)

According to CPJ, Khallaf's EMS “trains and supports journalists who work online in Egypt. The syndicate operates independently from the state-recognized Egyptian Journalists Syndicate...
The local press freedom group Journalists Against Torture and the local Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) said Khallaf was also accused of'taking pictures and displaying artistic works without a license,' among other allegations. A 1998 executive order states that individuals conducting audio and audiovisual work must have a license from the Ministry of Culture. According to AFTE, the accusation is in connection with Khallaf photographing the funeral of Hisham Barakat, Egypt's prosecutor general who was assassinated late last month."

There are many echoes of this in Ban's UN: as simply one example Ban's Under Secretary General for Public Information Cristina Gallach telling Inner City Press it takes photographs of things that "are not newsworthy." There are more, and more examples of Akbar Elyom.

Only when it questioned Ban's and its PR official Cristina Gallach's roles in the John Ashe, Ng Lap Seng and Francis Lorenzo UN bribery scandal did Gallach order Inner City Press ousted then evicted, and now try to give its office to an Egyptian media which rarely or never asked questions. Ban Ki-moon claimed “That is not my decision,” but that is not true.

The New York Times on May 14 covered the story. But they did not in their long process report, because it happened at the end, that Ban Ki-moon and Gallach are moving to give Inner City Press' long time office to Egyptian state media, Al Akhbar / Akhbar El-Yom / Akher Saa, to a correspondent Sanaa Youssef who most even on the UN press floor have never seen.

Her "in" seems to be that she was a previous president of the UN Correspondents Association, now become the UN's Censorship Alliance. As one respected usual UN interlocutor put it, "it would be a hugely negative symbolic step for Egyptian state media to replace Inner City Press in the UN."

A longtime UN correspondent who spotted her moving in on Inner City Press' office noted she had not been seen before; the name was confirmed by UN Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, which refused to provide the waiting list or describe the rationale.

But this is Ban's and Gallach's UN (click here for a Spanish take on Gallach's tenure.) We are beginning to report this now because it has proven nearly impossible to reach Al Akhbar / Akhbar Al Yom - the telephone numbers listed online are disconnected, or private homes; the correspondent at UNCA address has been unresponsive. The absurdity of this has been directly raised to Ban Ki-moon, his Deputy and Chief of Staff with enough time to stop it. We'll see.

For now from the NYT we note this quote: “It’s not exactly the same access,’’ Mr. Dujarric said, “but if he has an issue, there is a staff of media liaisons to help him resolve the problem and get where he needs to go.”

This is false. As Inner City Press has raised to Ban Ki-moon, "even when begrudgingly accompanied by a staff member of your Spokesperson's office, UN Security refused to allow me through the turnstile onto the second floor of Conference Building. I have been told not to ask questions of diplomats, just after you came out of ECOSOC and even with a MALU minder / escort with me, a UN Security official stood directly in front of me, apparently so I couldn't even try to ask you a question. This is censorship." We await response.

Audio hereBan, when asked, said “that is not my decision.” But he heard about the ouster and eviction in advance and ok-ed it.

On April 16, the acting chief of Gallach's “Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit Tal Mekel oversaw the eviction of Inner City Press' office, leaving five boxes of its files out on First Avenue. Video here.

Some in Ban's team indicated to Inner City Press its office would be left empty until its four month “purgatory” or punishment-for-reporting period was over.

That was a lie: on May 13, after Inner City Press asked more questions about Ban's engagements with John Ashe and Francis Lorenzo - president of South South News which paid UNCA and still has a UN office - Inner City Press was informed that its long time office is being given out.

When Inner City Press asked to see the supposed waiting list, this was refused by Mekel. It is apparently entirely up to Gallach - or UNCA - who is given UN office space, without which one cannot access the UN Conference Building's second floor, see below.

On May 13 as the UN Security Council began a meeting about Lebanon, the glass doors to enter the Council were locked. Apparenlty the UN can't afford one guard for a Security Council meeting, but won't provide information requested by the Press about Ban Ki-moon's endless and largely fruitless travel.

Inner City Press, which covers the UN corruption scandal and was ousted then evicted by an official implicated in the scandal, Cristina Gallach -- see OIOS audit Paragraphs 37 to 40 and 20(b) -- with Ban Ki-moon's full knowledge, was unable to get to the Security Council stakeout. Its pass, cut by Gallach, won't open the turnstile at the other end of the stakeout. This week a guard there even refused to allow Inner City Press through to a stakeout with a staffer of the Spokesperson's office.

Gallach, at least according to some paid to tweet for the UN, is in Washington. So Inner City Press undertook to document the restrictions and censorship. Another UN system spokesperson tried to undermine it, as did UN Security. They claimed everything is fine, even as Security Council Ambassadors asked them how can it be that the door is locked (and Press excluded). Some Security write-up began, sure to omit all of this. Watch this site.

Inner City Press

Friday, January 20, 2017

US Asks For Ban Ki-moon Brother To Be Extradited, Cover Up By Censorship Crumbling

Monday, January 16, 2017

Ban Ki-moon Corruption Exposed By ICP on Seoul Radio, Nephew Qs, Power Cover Up

Friday, December 30, 2016

Ban Ki-moon's Staged Last Day At UN Has Korean-Only Campaign Statement, Minders For Investigative Press

Thursday, May 26, 2016

As Ban Ki-moon Politics in South Korea, Cites Saemaul Village Movement, Restricts Press

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