He is expected to replace Senegal's Youssoupha Ndiaye when his term ends during the IOC Session in Lima from September 13 to 17.

This proposal, made by the IOC's ruling Executive Board, must be approved by the full membership during the meeting in the Peruvian capital.

Ban served as the eighth official UN Secretary-General from January 2007 until December last year.

He developed an increasingly close relationship with IOC President Thomas Bach during the last three years and oversaw the inclusion of "sport as an important enabler" in the organisation's sustainable development goals.

The 73-year-old South Korean also spoke at the 2014 IOC Session in Sochi and carried the Olympic Torch for Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016. 

He established a UN Ethics Code during his time in office,

"I am deeply honoured to be nominated as the chair of the IOC’s Ethics Commission and accept the position with a sense of humility and responsibility," Ban said.

"The UN and the IOC have had a close working relationship over many years with both organisations contributing to building a peaceful and better world. 

"In working closely under the principles of the IOC movement, I will do my best to enhance the accountability and transparency of the IOC."

Current IOC Ethics Commission investigates cases including the payments allegedly made to IOC member Frank Fredericks by a company linked to a Brazilian businessman in 2009, three days before Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 OIympic and Paralympic Games.

The Ethics Commission is also expected to play a major role in the process to sanction individual Russian athletes for alleged doping at Sochi 2014 following the expected completion of two IOC probes later this year.

Ban, replaced at the UN by Antonio Guterres of Portugal on January 1, had earlier this year been considered a potential candidate to stand as a candidate for President of South Korea. 

He decided against such an attempt after a fractious start to the year in which his younger brother and nephew were charged with conspiracy to bribe a Middle Eastern official.

Ban denies any awareness of this and has also denied other allegations of possible involvement in bribery when he was South Korean Foreign Minister between 2004 and 2006.

He dismissed reports about the latter claims as "rumour and fake news" in February.

"The IOC is honoured and pleased that Mr Ban accepted for his name to be put forward," said Bach. 

"On the one hand, Mr Ban has an exemplary record of public service with integrity, accountability and transparency. 

"On the other hand, he is a great friend of the Olympic Movement."