Korea Begins UN Security Council Membership... "Will Convene Meeting Directly if North Korea Provokes"

South Korea has officially begun its activities as a non-permanent (elected) member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Regarding North Korea's provocations that threaten security on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea has also announced its policy to actively respond by directly requesting the convening of Security Council meetings if necessary.

On the 2nd (local time), Hwang Jun-kook, South Korea's Ambassador to the UN, met with correspondents after the flag-raising ceremony for new Security Council members held at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA, and said, "Although there are no North Korea-related issues on the Security Council agenda for January, South Korea now has the authority to request the convening of Security Council meetings if necessary."

The Security Council, composed of five permanent members (the US, China, Russia, the UK, and France) and ten non-permanent members (E10) serving two-year terms, is the UN's highest decision-making body primarily responsible for maintaining global peace and security. As South Korea begins its activities as a Council member for 2024?2025, it will be able to raise its voice more strongly on issues related to the Korean Peninsula, where it has a direct stake.

Ambassador Hwang stated, "At the Security Council members' breakfast meeting that day, we expressed our position to actively convene meetings on security issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and requested cooperation from other members." This declaration at the first face-to-face meeting among Council members this year signals South Korea's intention to take a leading role in raising North Korea-related agenda items within the Security Council. He added that France, the January presidency country, the US as a permanent member, and Japan, which will also serve as a non-permanent member this year, expressed their support.

In particular, Ambassador Hwang referred to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's recent designation of inter-Korean relations as a "hostile relationship between two states" rather than a fraternal relationship at the Workers' Party plenary meeting, saying, "While this can be seen as provocations similar to those in the past, the level, frequency, and intensity are changing. This is a development that cannot be overlooked."

He emphasized again, "Although issues related to North Korea, such as continuous ICBM launches and meeting convenings, are ongoing, the Security Council's focus is becoming blurred due to opposing claims from the US, China, and others. Amid this, our role is to remind everyone that North Korea's threat is a real and existing threat." Since this year is when South Korea, the US, and Japan are all serving as Security Council members, cooperation within the Council is expected in delivering pressure messages against North Korea.

The event involved raising the flags (presidential flags) of the five countries newly serving two-year terms as Security Council members from the new year in front of the Security Council meeting room at a brief press conference venue, followed by remarks from each country. In addition to South Korea, Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia will serve as Council members for the 2024?2025 term.

At the flag-raising ceremony for new Council members, Ambassador Hwang said, "South Korea, which has achieved post-war reconstruction, economic growth, and democratization, is a country that demonstrates the power of multilateralism and international cooperation based on the UN Charter," and added, "As a country facing security threats on the Korean Peninsula, we intend to engage in Security Council work more seriously than anyone else." He continued, "Although concerns about division within the Security Council have been raised, the Council remains the most important institution for maintaining international peace and security," emphasizing, "Under the shared goals of international peace and prosperity, human rights, and the rule of law, we will stand in solidarity with many countries around the world."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.