By Irwin Arieff
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Ban Ki-moon, sworn in on Thursday as the eighth U.N. secretary-general, may strike colleagues as a shy and retiring bureaucrat but vows to be a "man of action" when he takes the world body's helm on Jan. 1.
Journalists covering the 62-year-old former South Korean Foreign Minister in Seoul called him "Slippery Eel," he acknowledges, for his skill in making a graceful exit when they tried to put him on the spot over a thorny issue.
"Rest assured, however, that my actions will be anything but slippery: I am a man of action," he told a recent dinner of U.N. correspondents.
"In Korea, we have an expression: Un Haeng Il Chi. It means words should be matched by deeds. This will be my guiding motto," he said.
Diplomats predicted Ban's public image may suffer for having to follow the outspoken and personable Kofi Annan, who steps down on Dec. 31 after two five-year terms as secretary-general. Annan traveled the world, giving his views on world hot spots.
He tangled repeatedly with Washington, the biggest U.N. dues-payer, after the United States led the March 2003 invasion of Iraq without a green light from the U.N. Security Council.
But in remarks to the General Assembly at his swearing-in, Ban made clear that while he would carry on some of Annan's unfinished work, he wanted to draw a line with the past.
'HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARD'
Ban said he wanted to "breathe new life and inject renewed confidence into the sometimes weary secretariat" and "to set the highest ethical standard," he said.
Annan suffered during his tenure from charges of mismanagement and corruption in the $64 billion oil-for-food program for Iraq and in U.N. procurement.
Ban vowed to be "a harmonizer and a bridge builder" as U.N. leader while also promising the United Nations would be "dynamic and courageous" rather than "passive and fearful."
Diplomats said that while he was not a great communicator, he had great determination and was very hardworking.
Ban was chosen for the top U.N. job, with strong support from the United States and China, over six rivals by the 15-nation Security Council in October and later approved by the General Assembly as the first Asian U.N. head in 35 years.
An early champion was outgoing U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, who said repeatedly the U.N. Charter described the job only as the world body's "chief administrative officer."
But Ban said that though he is soft-spoken, "that does not mean that I lack leadership or commitment."
Modesty and humility were considered virtues by Asians but should not be misunderstood because "I take decisive decisions whenever it is necessary," he said in an interview.
Before winning the post of secretary-general, Ban served 37 years in South Korea's diplomatic service after graduating at the top of his class in international relations from Seoul National University.
He became foreign minister in January 2004 and was closely involved in his country's dealings with North Korea and international efforts to settle the nuclear crisis with Pyongyang's Korean Communist government.
Ban said North Korea would remain his top priority after taking office at the United Nations, adding: "I will be using my mandate as U.N. secretary-general to the maximum to make sure that this issue is resolved thoroughly."
Other priorities would include more U.N. management reform, fostering development in poor nations and helping resolve the world's many conflicts.
((Editing by Doina Chiacu))
