[사설] Re-entry into the Security Council to serve as a driving force for expanding diplomatic horizons

The Republic of Korea will act as a member of the UN Security Council (Security Council) from 2024 to 2025. On the 6th (local time), South Korea entered the United Nations Headquarters General Assembly election in New York, USA, and became a non-permanent member of the two-year term. This is the third Security Council entry following 1996-1997 and 2013-2014.

President Yoon Seok-yeol called it a “victory of global diplomacy” yesterday. Korea received an overwhelming vote in favor of 180 out of 192 member states. It far exceeded the pass standard of more than two-thirds of the member states present. This is an achievement of value diplomacy. The government deserves to be welcomed with open arms. In this election, one country in the Asia-Pacific region, two countries in Africa, one country in Central and South America, and one country in Eastern Europe were selected. Korea was the sole candidate for the Asia-Pacific region.

The Security Council is the highest decision-making body of the United Nations. In particular, it is significant because it is the only institution that has binding force under international law. It consists of 5 permanent members from the US, UK, France, China and Russia, and 10 non-permanent members with terms of 2 years allocated for each continent. Non-permanent members have the right to participate in discussions and votes on UN Security Council issues, along with permanent members with veto powers.

Korea’s international status is very different from when it entered the Security Council twice. In March, the US think tank Heritage Foundation proposed to the US administration of Joe Biden that the seven major Western countries (G7) that influence the world order should be expanded to the G8, including Korea. It is far from a coincidence or luck that President Yoon was invited to the G7 summit in Japan last month and engaged in national interest diplomacy as active as the leaders of other major countries. This is not an opportunity to just be thrilled and excited about advancing to a non-permanent member state like in the past.

However, it is not something to underestimate the possibility of re-entry into the Security Council. International dynamics, like natural ecosystems, are subject to constant change. At the heart of multilateral diplomacy, the Security Council, the task of closely responding to dynamic changes and protecting our national interests while contributing to world peace and cooperation is a task that any country that aspires to become a world-class nation can never neglect.

Moreover, the current global village is rapidly moving toward a new Cold War era due to conflicts between the US and China. It is true that dynamic change is underway. It is also important that a new global value chain is being formed with national egoism at the forefront. A bigger problem is the geopolitics of the Korean Peninsula. Amid escalating nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, a sharp confrontation is forming between South Korea, the US, and Japan versus North Korea, China, and Russia. Re-entry into the Security Council should, above all else, be used as an opportunity to properly manage the risk index on the Korean Peninsula.

While running for this election, Korea pledged to focus on peacekeeping and establishment, cyber security, and overcoming climate change. The path of striving to fulfill the pledge is significant in itself, but it is also likely to be in line with the path to dramatically broadening our diplomatic horizons and becoming a global pivotal country. It’s something to keep in mind. Furthermore, this re-entry can be evaluated historically if security variables are managed well centered on the trilateral cooperation of the Security Council of Korea, the US and Japan. Please spread out.