[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] South Korean Military to Promote Membership from UN Command Signatory to Member State

Intention to Strengthen UN Command Functions... Ministry of National Defense "Reviewing Personnel and Positions"

Our military is considering participating in the United Nations Command (hereinafter UN Command) staff. If the dispatch of our military staff to the UN Command is decided, it will contribute to strengthening the UN Command functions led by the United States. Additionally, participation in UN Command activities can shift from the status of a party to the armistice agreement to that of a member state.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 9th, Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-gyu said at a regular briefing in response to related questions, "Our military has been continuously strengthening necessary cooperation with the UN Command to deter war on the Korean Peninsula and maintain peace."

It is known that the option of dispatching a South Korean brigadier general as the UN Command chief of staff is being considered within and outside the military, but the appropriate personnel and positions have not yet been decided.

The reason for strengthening the UN Command is that its functions have been evaluated as weakened since operational control was transferred to the Combined Forces Command. The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander, a four-star U.S. general, concurrently serves as the commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command and the UN Command. Since the transfer of Korea's defense mission to the Combined Forces Command in 1978, the UN Command has only been responsible for monitoring compliance with the armistice agreement between North and South Korea and providing forces to the Combined Forces Command in case of emergency.

The UN Command staff participates in multinational cooperative missions such as UN Command operations and Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO) during wartime situations. While the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) manages the armistice agreement, the staff focuses on another important UN Command mission of providing forces in emergencies.

On the 3rd, Defense Minister Shin Won-sik expressed a cautious stance regarding South Korea's participation as a UN Command member state at a press conference, stating, "There is no legal problem with participation, but more consideration is needed on which option is preferable to maximize national interests."

The strengthening of the UN Command's role is likely to be discussed at the upcoming "Korea-UN Command Member States Defense Ministers Meeting" scheduled for the 14th. This meeting, held for the first time in Seoul, will be attended by defense ministers or representatives from 17 UN Command member states, including South Korea.

The Ministry of National Defense stated, "This is the first meeting where defense ministers and representatives from Korea and UN Command member states gather to explore the UN Command's role in deterring war and maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula and ways to cooperate between Korea and UN Command member states." It added, "The meeting will evaluate the UN Command's role and contributions over the past 70 years, urge North Korea to cease illegal activities and comply with UN Security Council resolutions, and adopt a joint declaration on the collective response of UN Command member states in emergencies on the Korean Peninsula."

On the 13th, a banquet commemorating the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. alliance and the armistice agreement will be held, attended by representatives of the participating countries in the Korea-UN Command Member States Defense Ministers Meeting.

Following this, the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between Defense Minister Shin and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will also be held on the 13th in Seoul. The SCM is held annually, alternating between Seoul and Washington, and this year marks the 55th meeting.

The core agenda of this year's SCM is "Extended Deterrence by the ROK-U.S. Alliance." Discussions will include concrete measures to enhance the execution of extended deterrence, such as the operation of the "Nuclear Consultative Group" (NCG) agreed upon by the ROK and U.S. leaders in the Washington Declaration last April. Additionally, key topics will cover ▲ assessment of the North Korean situation and coordination of North Korea policies ▲ enhancement of combined defense posture and extended deterrence execution ▲ defense science and technology and global defense industry cooperation ▲ ROK-U.S.-Japan security cooperation ▲ and regional security cooperation.

A Ministry of National Defense official told reporters that "Regarding extended deterrence, the revision of the 'Tailored Deterrence Strategy' (TDS) signed in 2013 has been continuously discussed, and related discussions are expected at this SCM."

The ROK and U.S. agreed at the Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) meeting held in Seoul last September to revise the TDS within this year, reflecting scenarios on how to respond militarily if North Korea uses nuclear weapons.

The ROK-U.S.-Japan Defense Ministers Meeting may also be held in conjunction with this SCM. This meeting is expected to discuss trilateral cooperation measures to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and the activation of a real-time missile warning information sharing system within the year.

Regarding ROK-U.S.-Japan missile information sharing and joint exercises, the official said, "Matters related to ROK-U.S.-Japan security cooperation are important agenda items discussed within the ROK-U.S. alliance framework. Specific details on the establishment of a real-time missile warning information sharing system within the year and the multi-year planning of ROK-U.S.-Japan joint exercises are ongoing discussions, so we will be able to provide information after the meetings."