South Korea Becomes Non-Permanent Member of UN Security Council

A general view shows a United Nations security council meeting on non-proliferation and the DPRK, or North Korea, at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on March 20, 2023. Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images

South Korea has been re-elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) with 180 affirmative votes out of 192 member states. Political analysts believe this marks the international community’s recognition of the country’s global status and influence.

This is the third time the East Asian country has served as a non-permanent member of the UNSC after serving in 1996-1997 and 2013-2014.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol spoke positively of the move, saying it was a victory for global diplomacy.

Being elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC will be an opportunity for South Korea to develop into a global hub that contributes to the peace, security, and prosperity of the international community while playing a more important role in maintaining the international order based on universal values and rules, a spokesperson of the South Korean Foreign Ministry said at a press conference on June 7.

South Korea will play a leading role in the international response to North Korea’s nuclear threat, the suppression of human rights, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the military threat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in UNSC together with the United States, Japan, and other democracies, South Korean media Chosun Ilbo said on June 7.

The South Korean and American flags fly next to each other at Yongin, South Korea, on Aug. 23, 2016. Courtesy of Ken Scar/U.S. Army/Handout via Reuters

Bearing the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, the UNSC is the only core body that is internationally legally binding on member states. The UNSC has 15 members, of which the United States, France, Russia, the U.K., and China are permanent members, and the remaining 10 are non-permanent members.

Non-permanent members of the UNSC are elected for two years. Like permanent members, non-permanent members have the same powers in terms of voting, speaking, convening, and presiding over meetings, but only the permanent members have veto power over the UNSC’s final decisions.

Status, Influence Recognized

Li Yuanhua, a former professor at China’s Capital Normal University, believes there are several reasons behind South Korea’s growing international status.

“First, South Korea has always been a leader in science and technology, especially in the field of chips. Secondly, South Korea has been playing a crucial role in the turbulent situation in Asia, including the issues of North Korea, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Taiwan Strait. Its position in international relations is very important,” Li told The Epoch Times on June 9.

South Korea has long been a leader in semiconductors, with companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix among the world’s top memory chip makers. However, both companies need American technology and equipment.

Since China has been South Korea’s largest trading country, it has been evasive on issues such as the persecution of human rights by the CCP, Li said.

When the United States announced the formation of the “Chip 4 Alliance” in 2022, South Korea was slow to take a stand, straying between the CCP, the United States, Japan, and Taiwan.

However, South Korea’s trade balance with China plummeted in early 2023. The economic setback forced the Korean political class to reconsider its choice in international relations.

China's National People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Li Zhanshu (L) attends with South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo (R) during a joint news conference in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 16, 2022. Kim Hong-Ji/Pool/Getty Images

The former professor believes that after becoming a non-permanent member, South Korea will reposition its national strategy and take a clearer stance on international affairs.

He said the country would stand on the side of the free world when addressing issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

Ye Zhiqiu, a New Zealand-based media professional, agreed with Li’s analysis on South Korea’s status in the chip industry.

“The chip industry has risen to a strategic level in the international arena, not only in the civilian sector but also in the military, where high-end weapons are used,” he told The Epoch Times.

“After the COVID-19 pandemic, the international community realized that the CCP is using its supply chain to threaten and blackmail some countries, threatening their security. As a result, many companies are shifting their industrial chains away from China,” he said.

“The whole world has realized that chips, an important strategic resource, cannot be controlled by the CCP, so the importance of South Korea has been highlighted and more valued. Therefore, the admission of Korea to the Security Council is a recognition of its position and influence in the world.

“At present, the world is divided into two camps, namely, the CCP-led camp that threatens the liberal democratic camp, and the liberal democratic camp, including the United States, Europe, and Japan that are fighting against the CCP. Therefore, the latter wants to bring South Korea into its camp to fight against the CCP.”

‘Industrial War’

Yoon Suk-Yeol, at the Korea Semiconductor National Strategy Conference on June 8, likened the semiconductor competition to an industrial war.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at a press briefing at the White House garden in Washington on April 26, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Yoon said this war is being fiercely waged on the two fronts of semiconductors and secondary batteries.

The semiconductor industry is Korea’s representative industry, accounting for 20 percent of exports and 55 percent of investments in manufacturing equipment. With the combination of artificial intelligence and the military field, semiconductors have become a core element of national security.

The president also said that recent geopolitical issues are becoming the biggest business risk for enterprises, with no enterprise being immune, so the government must work with the United States and other friendly countries to solve such issues.

Ye Zhiqiu echoed Yoon’s view that no enterprise can be immune.

“Yoon’s understanding is correct … South Korea, as a country with a modest economy, cannot stand up to the CCP alone. Only by joining the democratic camp can it ensure its safety,” he said.

“Now that the international situation has evolved to this point, the old South Korean approach of balancing and not wanting to offend either side is no longer viable.”

Kane Zhang contributed to this report.