Revitalization of the UN Command has begun
이 글자크기로 변경됩니다.
(예시) 가장 빠른 뉴스가 있고 다양한 정보, 쌍방향 소통이 숨쉬는 다음뉴스를 만나보세요. 다음뉴스는 국내외 주요이슈와 실시간 속보, 문화생활 및 다양한 분야의 뉴스를 입체적으로 전달하고 있습니다.
The Ministry of National Defense hosted the first-ever meeting of our defense minister and the defense ministers of the United Nations Command on Tuesday. During the 1950-53 Korean War, 14 countries sent combat troops and three other countries sent medical units. The first international gathering of the defense ministers carries great significance, as it signifies their strong determination to defend South Korea from North Korea’s mounting nuclear and missile threats.
The UN Command — established shortly after the North’s invasion on June 25, 1950, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 84 — successfully fought back against the aggression. The command faithfully carried out its primary mission of managing the truce and sending military personnel to the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command to brace for a contingency even after the Armistice struck on July 27, 1953. The UN Command has served as another security pillar together with the Korea-U.S. alliance. Undeniably, however, the role of the UN Command has been underappreciated.
In Tuesday’s meeting, the 17 members of the command issued a joint statement pledging to take action if the North threatens the South’s security or relaunches an armed attack in violation of the UN Charter. The meeting offered the 17 countries a chance to reaffirm their commitment to support South Korea in times of war, as agreed to in the Washington Declaration in 1953. Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said the meeting translates into a “strong resolution by the international community to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
In a bilateral meeting on Monday, Shin and his U.S. counterpart revised the Tailored Deterrence Strategy (TDS) after 10 years to effectively cope with Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile provocations. The collective manifestation Tuesday of a joint response to North Korean attacks by the 17 members of the UN Command testifies to the consolidation of the two defense axes even further.
The Moon Jae-in administration also attempted to revitalize the UN Command, but the dovish government couldn’t due to its preoccupation with an end-of-war declaration. At that time, the government’s refusal to accept the participation of Germany and Denmark in an expanded UN Command triggered a conflict with the command. President Yoon Suk Yeol underscored the role of the command in defending against the North’s aggression.
South Korea and the UN Command are planing to expand the command’s size. The remaining task is to augment security cooperation with Japan to ensure Tokyo’s uninterrupted supply of military logistics in times of crisis.
Copyright © 코리아중앙데일리. 무단전재 및 재배포 금지.
- Korea’s 'insane' new dating trend: Airdropping photos in bars
- 4 inches of snow arrive at Jeju's Mount Halla
- [INTERVIEW] For HYBE's 'Dream Academy' finalists, stardom is one stage away
- K-pop shut out of 66th Grammy Awards
- Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol end their 7-year relationship
- LG Twins end 29 years of hurt with Korean Series win
- ‘I’m scared to visit Korea’: Seoul subway sign branded ‘fatphobic’
- Korea's most expensive divorce settlement drags on amid blame game
- Seoul proposes speed limit for bikes to stop reckless cyclists
- 16,000 cops to ensure college entrance exam day goes smoothly