International Media reports that Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who was expected to announce his South Korean presidential bid, on Wednesday announced that he will not run for the presidency.

Korean key opposition figure and presidential hopeful Moon Jae-in termed the former UN chief's departure from the race "unexpected".

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Ban Ki-Moon's decision comes after his brother and nephew were accused of corruption by a US federal court. 

Ban Ki-moon is a South Korean diplomat who was the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 2007 to December 2016.

Fact Sheet:
  • Born: 13 June 1944 (age 72 years), Haengchi
  • Nationality: South Korean
  • Succeeded by: António Guterres
  • Spouse: Yoo Soon-taek (m. 1971)
  • Education: John F. Kennedy School of Government (1985), Seoul National University (1970), Chungju High School
  • Books: United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC).