South Korea secured one of the rotating seats on the UN Security Council(UNSC) in a vote of the UN General Assembly this year.

The nation was elected as a non-permanent member of the Council for a two-year term on June 6, claiming 180 votes among 192 participating member states.

With the election, South Korea returned to the Council after eleven years, having previously held a seat a second time in 2013 and 2014 after serving from 1996 to 1997.

The UNSC is a major international organization that is charged with ensuring international peace and security via the implementation of sanctions and UN peacekeeping operations.

Although the effectiveness of the UNSC has been hampered by differences among permanent members, the Council continues to wield significant influence in the international community as its decisions are legally binding for all UN member states.

By returning to the Council, South Korea has gained a stronger voice with regard to issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea’s nuclear aspirations and human rights situations.

The nation’s ascension brings with it hopes that the UNSC’s attention can be drawn to the issues on the peninsula at a time when the primary focus has been on the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East.

Photo : YONHAP News

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