South Korean Foreign Minister Hints at UN Security Council Functioning 'Nearly Paralyzed' on Korean Peninsula

In an interview on June 8, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin shared that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) remains passive when it comes to actions on the Korean Peninsula, so Seoul urges “constructive” contributions from China and Russia.

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South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin. (Source: Reuters)

According to the South Korean Foreign Minister, the Security Council is the highest decision-making body of the United Nations. However, its functions are “virtually paralyzed” when dealing with the situation in North Korea.

Mr. Park alluded to the continued opposition from China and Russia, two of the five permanent members of the Security Council with veto power, to imposing additional sanctions on Pyongyang due to the recent escalation of threats.

Foreign Minister Park asserted that this situation is “undesirable for international peace and security.” He also said that South Korea, which was recently elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2024-2025 term, plans to urge China and Russia to play a “constructive” role in addressing North Korean threats both inside and outside the council.

Earlier, on June 3, South Korea and China held defense ministerial talks in Singapore, during which the South Korean defense minister called on Beijing to play a more constructive role in peace on the Korean peninsula.

South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong Sup held talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference, as Seoul seeks to ensure cooperation in the region.

“I emphasized China’s constructive role in peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and China also shares this view,” Minister Lee Jong Sup said at a press conference after the talks.

In 2022, Pyongyang launched a total of 69 ballistic missiles, setting a new annual record for ballistic missile tests, far surpassing the previous record of 25. Tensions have flared again recently due to North Korea's space rocket launch on May 31.

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