UNdisclosed
That Ban's
Nephew Works
At Colliers,
Which Rents To
& For UN?
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, May
26 -- UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon has
left his
native South
Korea after
five days and
headed to
Vietnam while
Press
questions
remain
unanswered
by the UN
about his
links to the
Vietnam
related
scandal
surrounding
the suicide of
South Korean
businessman
Sung Wan-jong,
and his own
nephew
Joo-hyun
"Dennis" Bahn.
Inner City
Press asked
the UN on May
15, video
here.
After
Ban's deputy
spokesperson
on May 20 told
Inner City
Press he would
get a simple
list of UN
contracts of
Colliers
International
where Ban's
nephew works,
video
here, he
did not return
with it on May
21. But on May 22 he had a
read out,
and Inner City
Press had and
has more
questions. Video here.
On May 22 when
Inner City
Press asked if
Ban had disclosed
that this
nephew works
for Colliers
which rents to
and for the
UN, Haq said "
I believe the
disclosure is
reviewed, like
I said, by an
outside
company.
I… all I can
attest to is
what's on the
website, and
you can see
that for
yourself."
On May 26
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's lead
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
this, who
repeated that
Ban has complied
with
everything
asked of him
and spoke
eloquently in
Seoul. We'll
have more on
that. But on
Ban's UN
website, under
"Current
disclosure"
the year is
2011,
discloses only
this:
Apartment,
Seoul,
Republic of
Korea
Land
Residential
(Lot), Seoul,
Republic of
Korea
CD Account,
Chase Bank,
USA,
joint
with spouse
Checking
Account, Chase
Bank, USA,
joint
with
spouse
Deposit
Account,
Kookmin Bank,
Republic of
Korea
Equity
Account,
Kookmin Bank,
Republic of
Korea
Savings
Account, Chase
Bank, USA,
joint with
spouse
Two (2)
Savings
Deposit
Accounts,
Kookmin Bank,
Republic of
Korea
While is his
more than
subsequently
disclosed, it
does not list
Ban's nephew
working with
Colliers which
rents to and
for the UN.
Does any subsequent
disclosure? Inner
City Press
asked Dujarric
on May 26, its
dozenth
question in a
row on this.
Meanwhile
an aggregation
piece on Ban's
five day trip
and ambitions
mentions his
nephew, and the
name Colliers
- but NOT that
Colliers rents
to and for the
UN. Some call
it, softball
behind a
paywall.
Perhaps more
is coming.
Back on May
22, Deputy
Spokesperson
Farhan Haq
said the
following,
about the
company where
Ban's nephew
works:
"I was
asked a few
days ago about
whether the
United Nations
has rented
office space
through the
Colliers
company.
That’s
actually a
difficult
question, in
turns out,
because
Colliers
International
NY LLC is a
company whose
name has
changed
several times
over the
years.
Although it
became known
by that name
in 2010, it
also used to
be called GVA
Williams many
years ago.
"The UN had a
contract with
GVA Williams
from the 15th
of June 2007
to 15th of
February
2013. By
then company
had changed
its name to
Colliers
International
NY LLC and it
was for "real
estate
consultancy
and brokerage
services".
"Colliers, in
the name of
Colliers
Tri-State
Management
LLC, is now
the owner and
landlord for
the FF
Building,
although the
lease to the
UN is enacted
via a number
of leases for
sub-“lots”
between the UN
and a
subsidiary
company called
“304 E.45th
LLC”.
UNDP (United
Nations
Development
Programme)
also rents
some “lots” in
the FF
building.
"When the UN
first rented
space in the
FF building,
it was with
GVA
Williams.
Apart from the
leases for the
FF building,
the UN has no
other
contracts with
Colliers
International
NY LLC."
When allowed,
Inner City
Press began
with these few
questions
(there will be
more)
Inner
City Press:
thanks a lot
for this
detailed
answer on
Colliers and
its
predecessor.
So this is
something that
I wanted to
ask. It
has to do
with, since it
is public
record that
the nephew of
the
Secretary-General
works for the
company, and I
understand
it's your
position that
there's no
connection
between these
contracts and
that. I
did want to
know whether
the
disclosures,
public or
confidential
within the UN
of high
officials,
contain any
disclosures of
the employment
or business
interests of
close
relatives so
that at least
they can be
known and
checked.
This is my
question.
Deputy
Spokesman
Haq: The
procurement
process goes
through a
process that
is independent
of other
officials at
the UN.
There's a very
clear process
that… by which
procurement
works.
And… and we
have actually
talked about
this at length
many times in
the past, but
it is
unrelated.
Inner City
Press:
Right.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Both to senior
officials, but
to any of
their family
members…
Inner City
Press:
But what I'm
asking about
is the
disclosure
process in the
UN. I
understand
there's two
forms of
disclosure.
There's
mandatory
internal
disclosure
that's not
made public,
and there's a
voluntary
public
financial
disclosure.
What I'm
asking is
whether the
internal
confidential
but to the UN,
to the ethics
office,
disclosure of
high officials
involves
business
interests of
close
relatives that
do business
with the
UN.
That's just a
factual
question.
Deputy
Spokesman:
I don't
really… I
think that
there's an
implicit
assumption in
your question
which I don't
share.
Inner City
Press:
I'm not
assuming
anything.
It's just a
question.
Deputy
Spokesman:
The safeguards
in the
procurement
process are
built in to
keep it
separate from
other
officials.
Inner City
Press:
But I'm asking
about the
disclosure
process, not
the
procurement
process, just
a question
about what the
UN disclosure
process
is. It's
not about what
my assumption
of my
question.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Disclosure to
whom?
Inner City
Press:
There are two
disclosures…
high officials
file with the
UN detailed
supposedly… I
haven't… well,
I have seen
them, but I'm
not… the
detailed
disclosures,
and then
there's the
public website
which gives
less
information…
Deputy
Spokesman:
There's…
Inner City
Press:
Does the
detailed one
contain close
relatives that
do business
with the UN…
that’s the
question.
Deputy
Spokesman:
There is a
series of
financial
disclosures
where you
detail your
financial
dealings as
well as the
dealings of
your immediate
family.
And that is
disclosed… and
that is
disclosed to
an outside
party that
reviews these…
these
financial
statements.
Inner City
Press:
And can I ask
whether this
one was
disclosed?
Deputy
Spokesman:
First of all,
I believe the
disclosure is
reviewed, like
I said, by an
outside
company.
I… all I can
attest to is
what's on the
website, and
you can see
that for
yourself.
But there, Ban
lists
"Residential
lot, Republic
of Korea,
Apartment,
Republic of
Korea, and CD
account, Chase
Bank, joint
ownership,
USA" --
nothing about
his nephew
working with a
firm that
rents to and
for the UN.
On May 21,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's deputy
spokesperson
Haq:
Inner City
Press:
I've seen the
Secretary-General's
nephew has
given what's
described as
an exclusive
interview with
the South
Korean
newspaper the
Mainil
Business
newspaper, and
among other
things he says
that Sung
Ju-Soo, the
second son of
Sung Wan-jong,
the suicidal
business
leader, quote,
“came to New
York last
March and
asked me to
seek help from
the
Secretary-General
over the
property
sale”.
Then he
says:
But I have
never asked
for his help
regarding the
sale.
But the
newspaper then
says the
interview
confirmed that
the son Sung
Wan-jong tried
to lobby Ban
Ki-moon for
the
deal.
This is what I
want to
know.
This now seems
a little
closer than
just that the
nephew said
it; like, an
individual
from the
company came
to New York
asked the
nephew, can
you raise
it? And
in a written
piece of
paper, the
nephew said
it's been
raised.
Now he said
he's never
spoken to the
Secretary-General.
What is your
response?
Is there some
way we can get
some response
in English
rather than
simply to — to
the South
Korean
newspaper?
Deputy
Spokesman:
The response
that you are
looking for in
English was
given by the
Secretary-General
himself in a
press
conference in
Seoul
yesterday
where he was
asked about
various
situations and
you'll have
seen — and you
even asked me
a question
about that
press
conference.
So I'm sure
you've seen
that
transcript…
Question:
He asked to
refrain from
reporting on
it.
[overlapping
talking]
Deputy
Spokesman:
No, that's not
all he
said. He
said quite a
bit.
Look at his
entire
response and
that is his
response and
that is the
response we
have.
On May 19, Ban
urged the
media not to
ask about, or
report on,
issues
surrounding
his nephew.
Inner City
Press has
asked, and
will continue
to ask, what
rules and
safeguards
apply for
example to a
company the
Secretary
General's
nephew works
with, Colliers
International,
doing business
with the UN,
as Colliers
Vice Chairman
brags. Here is
the UN's
transcription
of Ban's May
19 answer in
Seoul, and
below.
Inner City
Press went to
the May 19 UN
noon briefing
and asked
Ban's deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq
what Ban had
meant, video
here, and
for how much
business
Colliers,
where Ban's
nephew works
has done with
the UN. Haq
refused to
provide the
latter
information,
saying "Ask
Colliers."
Inner City
Press has in
the day since
collected
information,
below. But
first we note
that Ban's
spokesperson's
office and Haq
himself HAVE
previously
answered Inner
City Press
questions
about
particular UN
contractors.
For example,
in April 2009
Haq answered
Inner City
Press about
the Petrocelli
Electric
Company. So do
they only not
answer when a
Ban relative
is involved?
What's the
difference?
For now,
here's some of
the business
with the UN of
Colliers
International,
where Ban
Ki-moon's
nephew
Joo-hyun
"Dennis" Bahn
works:
220
East 42nd
Street:
"The United
Nations
Development
Programme
signed a
10-year,
42,931-square-foot
lease covering
the entire
20th, 21st,
and 23rdfloors
of 220 East
42nd Street,
aka The News
Building. Andy
Roos of Colliers
International
acted on
behalf of the
United Nations
Development
Programme."
220
East 42nd
Street:
"United
Nations Women
is setting up
shop at 220 E.
42nd St. where
it will lease
71,204 square
feet on the
17th, 18th and
19th floors.
Additionally a
transition
team will
settle into
13,746 square
feet on the
4th floor --
for a total of
84,950 square
feet... The
deal has been
percolating
since last
year and was
made possible
because
another UN
agency moved
out. The UN's
broker, Andrew
Roos of Colliers
International,
represented
the United
Nations
Population
Fund in a move
out of the
building to
605 Third Ave.
last year."
605
Third Avenue:
"In a 15-year,
four-party
deal, the
United Nations
Population
Fund leased
just under
131,000 square
feet at 605
Third Ave. The
turnkey space
encompasses
the fourth
through sixth
floors. The UN
was
represented by
Andy Roos at Colliers
International,
who said the
complicated
transaction
took 18 months
to complete."
In fact, the
UN's "FF"
building on
45th Street
has a Colliers
International
sign on the
front of it,
facing the
sidewalk.
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
nephew works
at this firm.
The UN should
answer about
its Colliers
contracts, but
won't.
By
contrast on
April 6, 2009,
Ban's then
spokesperson
Michele Montas
DID answer
Inner City
Press about a
particular
contractor,
and on April
13, 2009,
deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq
told Inenr
City Press
that it had
been given
details about
that contract
- NOT being
done here,
about Ban's
nephew.
Inner
City
Press: I
have a
procurement
question.
It’s become
clear that,
number one,
the electrical
contractor for
the UN,
Petrocelli
Electric, the
founder has
been indicted
in the
Southern
District of
New York for
bribery.
At the same
time, the
operator of UN
Television,
National
Mobile
Television
Venue Services
Group, is
basically
going
bankrupt.
Everything is
being sold and
they’re trying
to move their
people into
the basement
area as a
final
refuge.
How can it be
that these
contracts were
entered into
with companies
in one case
being
indicted, and
in the other
case going
bankrupt?
Spokesperson
Montas:
Well, in
specific
cases, when
the contracts
were entered,
of course,
there was no
indictment and
there were no
suspicion that
there were any
wrongdoings.
In terms of
the second
contract, of
course, we can
look into
this.
There are
several
companies
going under
and we cannot
predict in
advance which
company will
go
under. I
can try to get
more
information
for you from
the
Procurement
Office, but,
at this point,
as I said, we
cannot predict
what will
happen when we
sign
contracts....
Spokesperson:
Matthew, I
just got your
answer.
It was just
brought to me.
The contract
with the
Petrocelli
Electric
Company covers
overall
electrical
installations,
operations,
maintenance,
alterations
and major
projects, and
remains in
place even
though the UN
has suspended
the vendor
from
participating
in any further
procurement
activity.
That’s what I
have for
you. And
we’re also
aware of the
financial
difficulties
faced by VSG’s
parent
company,
NMT. The
Organization
is dealing
with the
situation in
consultation
with the VSG
management.
So I got your
answer pretty
fast for you.
Inner City
Press: last
week I’d asked
about this
contract with
Petrocelli
Electric that
the UN has, in
light of the
indictment of
the founder of
the
company.
Over the
weekend The
New York Times
reported that
the FBI says
that the
founder is
connected or
has
associations
with the
Genovese crime
family.
So what I’m
wondering is
now given...
if you accept
that report is
true in The
New York
Times, what is
the UN going
to do about
these
contracts?
Associate
Spokesperson
Haq:
Well, Michèle
told you what
we’re doing in
terms of that,
and what she
said last week
hasn’t
changed.
Question:
So the current
contract is
going to
continue?
How long does
the current
contract run?
Associate
Spokesperson:
Right now,
they’re
suspended from
the list of
vendors, but
we do have, of
course, our
current
facility
needs.
So we have an
existing
contract.
But I believe
she mentioned
to you the
suspension
last week
and...
Question:
For future
business.
I just want to
know how much
the current
business is
and whether
this new
report makes
any changes.
Associate
Spokesperson:
I think she
mentioned to
you what the
details of
that contract
were.
But I can just
re-submit that
over to you if
you don’t have
those details.
Question:
I don’t think
she said
either length
or dollar
value or any
of the
details.
Associate
Spokesperson:
No, I think
she mentioned
what the
services
are. So,
I’ll get that
over to you.
Inner
City Press: I
want to ask
two press
freedom
questions.
One is on
Burundi —
there are
these reports
that the media
or
particularly
foreign
correspondents
are not being
allowed into
this
neighbourhood
and cameras
taken by the
police.
I want to know
whether Mr.
Djinnit is
aware of what,
what the UN
thinks of
that.
And I wanted
to ask, maybe
if you can
clarify or
amplify.
I saw the
Q&A the
Secretary-General
did in South
Korea, and he
said, "I have
seen reports
having to do
with my
nephew.
While I'm
fulfilling…
whether true
or not, while
I'm fulfilling
my duties now
as
Secretary-General,
while such
unnecessary
incorrect
allegations or
rumours cause
inconvenience
to my work as
Secretary-General,
so I'd like to
ask you to
refrain from
doing
that."
So, because of
the… like,
what is he
saying?
Is he saying
refrain from
asking
questions,
refrain from…?
Deputy
Spokesman:
No.
First of all,
that's an
abbreviation
of the
transcript.
I'll refer you
to the full
transcript.
Inner
City
Press: I
looked… okay.
Deputy
Spokesman:
He makes a
denial of any
involvement in
this
issue.
But, his basic
point is that
he will go
about his own
work.
These
questions
really don't
apply to him
or his
activities.
Inner
City
Press:
But, who… my
question is
this.
Who is he
asking to
refrain from
doing
what?
That's a
direct quote
from what he
said.
Deputy
Spokesman:
He's not
making an
order to
anyone in the
press.
It's very
clear, and
it's
particularly
clear in the
context if you
look at the
transcript
that he's
talking about
an issue that
for him, in
his head, is
resolved.
Inner
City
Press:
But this is…
okay because
this is the
one part of
it. I
guess I
understand
that if… if…
that things
are being
played out in
a court in
Seoul and
whether the
nephew… what
he said that
the
Secretary-General
did or not is,
I guess, not
going to be
answered until
it's answered
there.
But, there's a
simpler
question,
which is, the
nephew works
for Colliers
International,
which is a New
York real
estate firm,
and the
Vice-Chairman
said online
that they do
business with
the UN.
So my question
is… and I
asked you this
before, but
I'm going back
to this
because it
seems like a
very fair
question —
what are the
rules when a
relative of
the
Secretary-General
or any high
official does
business with
the UN?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Procurement at
the UN is done
through our
procurement
office.
It is not done
through any
sort of issue
having to do
with family or
family
connections.
It's a
procurement
process that
all firms have
to abide by,
and that's how
firms get
contracts.
Inner
City
Press:
So how did
Colliers… how
much business
has Colliers
done with the
UN?
Deputy
Spokesman:
You would have
to ask
Colliers.
As for UN
procurement,
it makes
contracts by
its normal
activities.
This is not
connected to
anyone related
to the
Secretary-General.
Yes. Oh,
and… oh,
wait.
You had
another
question on
Burundi.
And on your
Burundi
question, see,
you ask so
many questions
that it gets
lost. On
your Burundi
question, of
course, we'd
be concerned
at any efforts
to crack down
on
press.
We do have a
small human
rights team…
team of human
rights workers
who are in
Burundi and
they're
examining
human rights
issues and
they'll follow
up on any sort
of allegations
of any
problems in
the country.
Here is what
Ban said, by
the UN's own
transcription:
"I’ve
seen reports
having to do
with my
nephew.
Regardless of
whether it’s
true or not, I
feel quite
ashamed that a
scandal like
this has
surfaced and
caused
controversy.
About my
nephew’s
business
activities, I
have never
known and
never took
part in any of
this. I’d like
to tell you
clearly that
this has
nothing to do
with me. As
the
Secretary-General
of the United
Nations, I am
doing a lot of
things for the
international
community and
the
international
community
expects a lot
from me. While
I am
fulfilling my
duties as
Secretary-General,
such
unnecessary
and incorrect
allegations or
rumours cause
inconvenience
to my work as
Secretary-General.
So I’d like to
ask you to
refrain from
doing that."
Who is Ban
request to
"refrain,"
from what? The
questions
about his
nephew are
entirely
legitimate,
and continue
because they
have not been
answered. They
don't just go
away.
While
the Free
UN Coalition
for Access
openly opposes
such
non-answering
by Ladsous
(and Ban's
spokespeople),
Ban praises
and partners
with the old
UN
Correspondents
Association,
whose leaders
praise Ban
back, do not
ask about
conflicts of
interest, and
have even
tried to get
the
investigative
Press thrown
out for such
reporting.
This is the
context.
On
May 18, Inner
City Press
asked Ban's
deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq an
event more
specific
question: did
Ban raise any
of its
relatives'
real estate
projects, for
example
Landmark 72 in
Vietnam, to
the Emir of
Qatar in a
meeting on
September 24,
2013? May
18 video here
and embedded
below.
Haq repeated
that Ban is
not involved,
that he and
Ban's lead
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric have
"nothing to
add." On May
15, Haq told
Inner City
Press that the
UN does not
have to
respond about
any relative
of Ban who is
not a UN staff
member, even
if they do
business with,
or with the
name of, the
UN and Ban.
Inner City
Press has
raised that
higher within
the UN.
The JoongAng
Daily reports
that its
affiliate JBTC
has obtained
an email in
which Ban's
nephew Bahn
Joo-hyun
wrote:
“QIA
said the emir
of Qatar had
an official
meeting with
the UN
Secretary
General at the
United Nations
[Headquarters]
at 11:30 a.m.,
and [Secretary
General Ban]
mentioned the
Landmark 72
upon request
of [Ban
Ki-sang]" -
Ban's brother.
Using the time
11:30 a.m.,
Inner City
Press searched
past versions
of Ban
Ki-moon's
schedule and
found such a
meeting:
"September
24, 2013,
11:30
am
NLB SG Conf Rm
3rd flr The
Secretary-General
with H.H.
Sheikh Tamim
bin Hamad
Al-Thani, Emir
of Qatar"
But
the UN's
read-out for
that meeting
did not
mention real
estate:
"The
Secretary-General
met today with
His Highness
Sheikh Tamim
bin Hamad
Al-Thani, Amir
of the State
of
Qatar.
The
Secretary-General
reiterated his
call for a
political
solution to
the crisis in
Syria, and
expressed
gratitude to
Qatar for its
support to the
Central
Emergency
Response Fund
and other
generous
humanitarian
assistance.
They discussed
the
Palestine-Israel
issue and also
the importance
of United
Nations
political
efforts in
Yemen.
The
Secretary-General
thanked the
Amir for
Qatari support
on the
Alliance of
Civilizations,
sustainable
development
and climate
change.
New York, 24
September
2013."
The Alliance
of
Civilizations
is headed by
Qatar's former
Permanent
Representative
to the UN.
(On May 18,
2015, Inner
City Press
also asked Haq
for Ban
Ki-moon's
response to
Qatar
detaining BBC
journalist
Mark Lobel
while he was
reporting on
the treatment
of migrant
workers in the
run up to the
World Cup
there; Haq's
and the UN's
response seems
muted.)
It is reported
that Ban's
nephew Ban got
business
trying to sell
off a
Sung-linked
skyscraper in
Vietnam by
saying that
Ban had
discussed the
project with
Emir of Qatar
(on whose
private jet
Ban has
flown), and by
reportedly
forging a
letter of
commitment
from Qatar's
sovereign
wealth fund.
On May 14,
Ban's lead
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric
replied to
Inner City
Press that Ban
has "no
connection"
with this
nephew -
strange, just
as a matter of
genetics.
On
May 15, Inner
City Press
asked Ban's
deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq a
closer
question: to
confirm that
Ban's nephew
Bahn has
worked for the
real estate
firm Colliers,
and the
Colliers has
done business
with UN.
(Bahn's
LinkedIn page
lists him at
Colliers,
whose Vice
Chairman
Andrew Roos says "Some of his major
clients
include
various
divisions of
the United
Nations,
including its
Joint Pension
Fund... For
the United
Nations, he
has been
responsible
for more than
500,000 square
feet of
leasing
transactions.")
Despite
this set-up,
Haq insisted
that the UN
does not have
to, or does
not, respond
about family
members if
they are not
UN staff.
But
what if the
Secretary
General's
family member
does BUSINESS
with the
UN? Haq
insisted the
UN will not
comment, that
added that he
faced similar
questions "ten
years ago,"
apparently an
allusion to
Kojo Annan and
the Mercedes
in what's
called the Oil
for Food
scandal. To
this has the
UN sunk. Video
here and
embedded
below.
Inner
City Press
will be asking
again, if it
is legitimate
for the UN to
say it will
not answer any
questions
about high
official's
family members
using the UN
connections to
get business
and going
business with
the UN.
Here
is what UN
deputy
spokesperson
Haq said,
and then
the transcript
Inner
City Press:
Yesterday, I
asked Stéphane
about these
developing
stories about
the nephew of
the
Secretary-General
and the claims
made about the
Qatar
Sovereign
Wealth
Fund.
And the reason
I… he said
yesterday,
that the
Secretary-General
has nothing to
do with his
nephew.
But I wanted
to ask because
there's been
more reporting
since even
yesterday and
basically
what's emerged
in these
articles is
that the
nephew, Mr.… I
don't want to
get the name
wrong.
We'll call him
Mr. Ban… Ban
Joo-Hyun… had
made two
claims.
He had made a
claim to the
construction
company that
was run by the
now deceased
business man,
that the
Secretary-General
had raised
this very
project to the
Emir of Qatar
in a
meeting.
And he also
made a claim
that the Qatar
Sovereign
Wealth Fund
was behind the
deal. So
this is… the
question that
I have for you
is, is even if
the
Secretary-General
is saying that
these
statements
didn't occur,
that's what I
was trying to
get a yes or
no on, or if
they did
occur, he has
nothing to do
with them, has
he informed
the members of
his family,
including his
nephew,
including his
brother who is
part of this
story, and
including, for
example, his
son-in-law,
not to invoke
his name when
they seek to
do business
deals that
obviously
involve
Sovereign
Wealth Fund of
countries that
have business
with the UN?
Deputy
Spokesman:
The
Secretary-General
keeps his work
life and his
personal life
separate.
He is not
involved in
this matter
and this is
not a matter
that involves
any UN
personnel.
Therefore, I
would have no
comment on it.
Inner City
Press::
But there are
obviously
people
reporting
quite to the
contrary, so
I'm asking you
is there…
Deputy
Spokesman:
No, they're
not.
Actually,
Matthew,
they're not
reporting to
the contrary,
they're
reporting
about other
people.
Nothing of
what you said
suggests any
connection to
the United
Nations.
Inner City
Press:
The nephew said
that Ban
Ki-moon raised
this with the
Emir of Qatar,
so my question
is can you
deny
that? Do
you deny that
the Secretary
General has
raised
that?
Okay.
Deputy
Spokesman:
The
Secretary-General
is not
involved in
this in
anyway.
Inner City
Press:
Okay, and also
my fourth and
further
question.
The nephew is
reported to
work at a New
York real
estate firm
known as
Colliers,
which partners
of whom say
they have done
business for
the United
Nations
system.
So I wanted to
know… this
seems… this is
a just a
factual
question, is
it true that
the nephew of
the
Secretary-General
works for a
firm called
Colliers?
And is it
true, will you
confirm or
deny that this
firm has done
business with
the UN?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I do not have
to comment on
questions of
family members
of the
Secretary-General
who are not
employed by
the United
Nations.
Inner City
Press:
Doing business
with the UN,
you don't have
to comment?
Deputy
Spokesman:
He is not UN
staff.
He has not
been UN staff
and his
business does
not concern
the United
Nations.
Inner City
Press:
If somebody
does business
with the UN… I
mean that's
what I'm
asking…
Deputy
Spokesman:
Matthew, a
decade ago,
people asked
me different
questions
about other
different
relatives, but
the point is
what we
concern
ourselves with
is the work of
the UN and its
personnel.
Yes.
Inner City
Press a month
ago on April
17, then again
yesterday on
May 14, asked
Ban's UN
spokespeople
about scandal,
the first time
drawing
laughter and
yesterday on a
closer link to
Ban, a flat
but vague
denial. The
closer link
involves Ban's
nephew Bahn
Joo-hyun and
an allegedly
forged letter
from Qatar's
sovereign
wealth fund,
the Qatar
Investment
Authority.
Implausibly,
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric on
May 14 told
Inner City
Press that Ban
has “no
connection”
with his
nephew.
In the same
briefing he
refused to
explain why
the UN, in
responding to
Press
questions
about another
UN scandal
involving the
cover up of
child rape in
the Central
African
Republic by
French
soldiers and
Ban's (French)
UN
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous, provided
answers
only to correspondents
who hadn't
even asked or
in some cases
reported about
the rapes.
Dujarric told
Inner City
Press,
"Matthew, I
can't be
responsible
for what
parties you're
invited to or
not invited
to." Ban later
that day
feted the
so-called UN
Correspondents
Association,
whose
leadership not
only never
asked
about
Sung Wan-jong
but actively
tried to get
Inner City
Press thrown
out of the UN.
It's the UN's
(or Ban's)
Censorship
Alliance.
The new Free
UN Coalition
for Access,
FUNCA, takes a
different
approach.
Inner
City Press:
about the
individual,
Mr. Sung
Wan-jong, who
committed
suicide, but
apparently
before he did,
said that he
had very close
ties with Ban
Ki-moon.
That's why he
was being
prosecuted and
said that they
developed the
Chungcheong
Forum
together.
So I just
wanted to,
what was his
relationship
to the
individual who
committed
suicide?
Why does he
think his name
has come up in
connection
with this
scandal?
And does he
have some kind
of statement
of --
Associate
Spokesperson:
I mean, all we
have to say
about this is
we've seen the
reports, and
as we've said
from this
podium and the
Secretary-General
has himself
said many
times, his
focus is on
his job
currently and
not on Korean
domestic
politics.
Inner
City Press:
Sure.
It’s less a
question about
running for
office there,
then so much
as if
somebody,
right before
they commit
suicide, says,
it's kind of
like
“Rosebud”, he
said Ban
Ki-moon, does
he…
Associate
Spokesperson:
We have no
comment.
[laughter]
We have no
comment.
In the month
that followed,
even as the
scandal
developed, no
questions
were asked or
allowed at the
UN about it.
Ban's Deputy
Spokesperson
Farhan Haq,
when Inner
City Press
pursued follow
up questions,
said “you must
have been such
an obnoxious
child.”
UNCA said
nothing; the Free UN Coalition for Access, FUNCA,
challenged
this and
Ladsous'
approach
including in a
flier
it posted in
the UN's
fourth floor
press area.
Also on press
freedom in
Ban's UN and
his links with
South Korea, a
week ago on May 8 Inner
City Press asked Dujarric:
Inner
City Press / FUNCA: There are a number of reporters
complaining
publicly in a
their
publications
that they
sought to
attend a
“Journalists
at Risk” event
yesterday
inside the UN
in which the
ambassadors of
France and
Belgium spoke
and that they
were not able
to attend it
and was told
the press was
being “banned”
from the
event.
Spokesman
Dujarric:
Banning the
press is not
something I
like to
do. No
press was
banned.
I think there
was
miscommunication
on the part of
the
organizers,
who probably
didn't
coordinate the
way they
should have
with our
colleagues
here. A
guest list was
provided to
our security
services,
which included
journalists.
And those
people on the
guest list
were able to
attend.
I think there
may have been
misunderstanding
where
journalists
wanted to come
in with
cameras who
didn't have
accreditation.
We tried to
facilitate
things as much
as
possible.
As always
here, we're
happy to host
any event,
obviously, the
Member States
are
holding.
It just needs
a minimum of
coordination
with the
various
services.
But, to say
that press was
banned, I
think is a
mischaracterization
of what
happened.
Inner City
Press /
FUNCA:
Some are
contrasting it
to the speed
with which
journalists
were processed
to attend the
Hillary
Clinton
stakeout.
They were
saying that
this was
actually…
there was more
time to do
them, but they
were told it's
impossible, it
can't be done.
Spokesman
Dujarric:
I would
dispute that
account, as
well.
You had
country-specific
questions?
Inner City
Press: The
country is
South
Korea. I
just want to
know, since
it's out there
and it has
been reported
in The Korea
Times, can you
confirm that
the
Secretary-General
is going to
South Korea
for four days
in and around
22 May?
Spokesman
Duarric:
I cannot
confirm at
this point,
but I
encourage you
to attend the
briefings next
week.
Inner
City Press:
about this
case in South
Korea that's
been bouncing
around for
some time, the
businessman
Mr. Sung, who
committed
suicide, but
mentioned the
Secretary-General's
name soon
before he did
it. And
there's a new
article
in the Korea
JoongAng
Daily, which
says that Mr.
Ban's nephew
Ban Joo-hyun,
the manager of
a New
York-based
real estate
firm, is
somehow
involved in
this
case.
And it cites
him providing
a forged
letter for the
Qatar
Investment
Authority,
saying a
building in
Viet Nam was
going to be
built when it
wasn't.
I would assume
that your
office is
aware of
this.
What is the…
is any of this
true?
For example,
is his nephew
involved in
this real
estate
deal?
Does his
nephew deny
providing a
fraudulent
Qatari
investment
fund letter?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
I think the…
This does not…
this does not
involve the
Secretary-General.
He has nothing
to do with
this issue,
and he has
nothing to do
with his
nephew.
And I think
you… I really
have nothing
else to add.
Inner
City Press:
I'm only
asking because
it only has
connection to
possible
politics,
countries, the
commonwealth
fund — do you
deny it?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
I understand…
I think…
Clearly, the
Secretary-General
is not
involved in
any of
this. I
would like to…
oh.
Yes. I
would like to
say have a
good
weekend.
But, go
ahead. (Video from Minute 3:53)
, 
