UN chief appoints new head of military observer group in India, Pakistan

UNITED NATIONS, June 11 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon has appointed Major-General Young-Bum Choi of South Korea as the new head of the UN observer group tasked with monitoring a ceasefire between Pakistan and India, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky announced here Monday.

"United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon today announced the appointment of Major General Young-Bum Choi of the Republic of Korea as chief military observer and head of mission of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP)," said Nesirky.

According to the UN spokesman, Choi, who used to serve as commander of the Republic of Korea Medical Support Group in the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara ( MINURSO) in 2000, will bring "extensive and wide-ranging experience" to his new position.

Choi will replace Major General Raul Gloodtdofsky Fernandez of Uruguay, whose assignment will expire Friday, according to UN spokesman.