Ban Ki-moon hosts UN chief candidate dialogue at Jeju Forum

Ban Ki-moon opened a high-level session at the 21st Jeju Forum in South Korea on June 25, 2026, bringing six candidates for the next UN secretary-general together in public for the first time. The event highlighted growing pressure on the UN to respond to conflict, fragmentation and climate risk ahead of a decision expected in late 2026.

Why it matters: - The UN’s next top leader will take office amid deep geopolitical fragmentation, the highest number of conflicts since World War II and an intensifying climate crisis. - The Jeju Forum session created a public platform for candidates to outline how they would restore trust in the United Nations and make the organization more effective. - The dialogue comes as the race for the UN’s top job moves toward a late-2026 selection.

What happened: - Ban Ki-moon opened a high-level dialogue on June 25 at the 21st Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity in Jeju, South Korea. - The session was held under the theme “Reimagining Multilateralism: A Dialogue with UN Secretary-General Candidates.” - Six candidates campaigning to become the 10th Secretary-General of the United Nations took part. - The candidates are Michelle Bachelet, María Fernanda Espinosa, Rafael Grossi, Rebeca Grynspan, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Macky Sall. - Michelle Bachelet participated by video statement. - Ban Ki-moon served as the UN’s 8th secretary-general from 2007 to 2016 and now co-chairs the Ban Ki-moon Foundation.

The details: - The panel featured candidates seeking to succeed António Guterres, the UN’s 9th secretary-general. - The selection process is expected to be finalized in late 2026. - The chosen candidate is set to take office on January 1, 2027. - Five of the six candidates are from Latin America and the Caribbean, a region widely seen as favored for the post. - Before the public session, the candidates held private bilateral consultations with Ban Ki-moon. - Ban Ki-moon pointed to his experience leading the UN through the Paris Climate Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. - Ban Ki-moon told the candidates they would work with dedicated UN staff, diplomats, business leaders and civil society groups. - The 21st Jeju Forum is co-hosted by South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. - The forum runs through June 26 under the theme “An Era of Fractured World: Reimagining Cooperation”.

Between the lines: - The Jeju session signaled how much the secretary-general race is being framed around institutional repair, not just leadership turnover. - The strong Latin American and Caribbean showing suggests regional momentum could shape the outcome, even before formal selection steps conclude. - Ban Ki-moon’s presence lent institutional weight to a contest that will affect the UN’s direction on security, development and climate policy.

What’s next: - The UN selection process will continue through the second half of 2026. - The next secretary-general is expected to be chosen before taking office at the start of 2027. - The Jeju Forum continues through June 26, keeping multilateralism and cooperation at the center of the agenda. - More information about the Ban Ki-moon Foundation is available in the foundation’s announcement