U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Samuel Koo, a former U.N. official and journalist, as the U.N. commissioner-general for the 2012 Yeosu Expo, the Nairobi-based U.N. Environment Program said Thursday.

Koo will manage the U.N. pavilion of the expo and play a bridging role between the U.N. environment agency and the Korean government. 

Koo has an extensive background in journalism and public relations, having worked as a reporter for the Associated Press, president of Arirang TV and director of the U.N. press office.

He was also the first Korean to work at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

In Korea, Koo has also held posts related to culture, tourism and convention, including culture ambassador for the Foreign Ministry and president of Seoul Tourism.

Koo now chairs the culture and tourism committee of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding.

The 2012 Yeosu Expo will be held from May 12 to Aug. 12 under the theme “The Living Ocean and Coast: Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities.”

It is expected to raise the public awareness of preservation and sustainable development of the oceans.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)