Ban Ki-moon (Korean: 반기문 ; born June 13 , 1944) is the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations. As a resident of South Korea, he is the second Asian citizen to become the Secretary-General of the United Nations. U Thant was the Secretary-General of the United Nations from November 30, 1971 to December 31, 1971. He took over as Secretary-General of the United Nations on January 1 , 2006. His first term ended on December 31 , 2011. With no further opposition , Moon took over as UN Secretary-General on June 21 , 2011, and served until December 31 , 2016.