Show UNITED NATIONS UN Korean Action Is Collective Security Move for World Peace What the League of Nations was never able to accomplish the tHa United Nations has done undertaken collective security for peace For the first time in history there is international collective action in in Korea and it is under the aegis of the United Nations The United States is acting in Korea as a member of the United Nations and because of United Nations action dramatically taken within 18 18 hours after Secretary- Secretary General Trygve Lie first made his dawn before-dawn calls to delegates and secretariat personnel to get on the job that Sunday June 25 The American Association for forthe forthe forthe the United Nations points to the temptation on the part of some to speak of the Korean conflict in terms of a United States rather than a United Nations action It is isan isan isan an effort on the part of the UN to stop slop a cut clear-cut case of aggression by the North Korean government on the Republic of Korea It is an effort which has received the sup sup- support support support port of more than 40 nations of the I world It is an effort under the I United Nations blue and white flag and under a commander appointed through the UN The UN Security Council asked the U. U S. S to appoint a chief of the forces fighting under the UN flag Gen Douglas MacArthur has been appointed The Council also asked for periodic reports from the U. U S. S S As a US U.S. soldier he is responsible to the in Commander-in-Chief President President President dent Truman at the same time that as commander for UN forces he is responsible to to the UN Security Council too Ambassador Warren R. R Aus Aus- Austin Austin Austin tin chief US U.S. delegate to theUN the tile theUN UN has indicated that the ef ef- efforts efforts ef- ef efforts forts for international action may well have been a turning point ill in mans man's struggle for means to unite his strength against aggressors to rally ef ef- effective effective ef- ef effective defense for the principles of peace The independence of Korea has been a United Nations matter since September 17 1947 Korea former former- formerly ly a part of the Japanese Empire was surrendered to the Allies at atthe atthe atthe the end of World War II that area north of the parallel to Russian troops and that south of the parallel to the troops of the U. U S. S UN Problem Since 47 There followed the setting up of ofa a commission of US U.S. and Russian representatives to look into the matter and make recommendations in consultation with Korean representatives for forming a Ko Ko- Korean Korean Ko- Ko Korean rean government The commission after several attempts was dead dead- deadlocked deadlocked deadlocked locked on all major issues of the problem In August of 1947 the US U.S. proposed that the Korean situation sit sit- situation situation be referred to the four sign sign- signers signers signers ers of the agreement reached at Moscow China had subsequently endorsed this agreement China and Great Britain agreed Russia objected so the U. U S. S submitted the Korean problem to the United Na Na- Nations Nations Nations General Assembly in hi Septem Septem- September ber 1947 There was prolonged discussion sion in the Assembly of the question and one proposal after another was submitted on the matter of holding elections and withdrawing troops from both the Southern and North North- Northern N orth- orth ern section Basically Russia wanted Korean representatives to I sit in on the Assembly discussion The United States maintained that consultations should take place in Korea itself as only an election ob ob- observed observed observed served by a UN commission could prove who the elected representatives tives of Korea would be Finally the US U.S. argued that elections should be held before discussion of withdrawal of troops was under under- undertaken undertaken undertaken taken as the Soviet had suggested The US U.S. view was upheld by a majority Russia then refused to participate in the work of the UN Commission established to facilitate facilitate facilitate tate the elections and withdrawal of occupation troops After months of preparation the theUN theUN theUN UN commission supervised an election elec elec- election election tion in South Korea on May 10 1948 Meanwhile a Democratic Peoples People's Republic of Korea had been set up in Northern Korea and was recognized by the Soviet Un Un- Union Union Union ion in in October 1948 1943 The Govern Govern- Government Government ment meat of the Republic of Korea South was recognized by the UN General Assembly as the only legit legit- legitimate legitimate legitimate government of Korea This government was recognized by the United States in January 1949 as aswell aswell aswell well as by France Great Britain the Philippines and others and ap ap- applied applied ap- ap applied plied for membership in m the UN It was rejected because while the vote in the Security Council was 9 to 2 in favor the veto of Russia Russia Russia-a a perma perma- permanent permanent nent member member obtained I Unification Unsuccessful I Here it might be well to point out o t i that even cven if Russia had been at at- attending attending attending tending the Council meetings after I Ithe the invasion of South Korea the I veto would not necessarily have I paralyzed UN action The General t i i r w 4 Y A Ambassador Warren R. R Aus Aus- Austin Austin Austin tin Chief United States dele dele- delegate delegate delegate gate to the United Nations who introduced the historic resolution resolution resolution tion calling for United Nations police action in Korea Assembly in which there is no veto veto could could have been called into special session and member na na- nations nations na- na nations could have taken steps toward collective international action much muchas as has been done The United Na Na- Nations Nations Nations Charter provides for collective action in Article 51 which makes possible individual or collective self-defense self against armed attack After the Korean elections the UN General Assembly re re- renewed renewed re- re renewed its Commission in Korea to try to bring about unification unification unification tion observe withdrawal of troops and be available for con con- I I I i I I I as the Koreans needed it in solidifying their govern govern- ment The Commission was not successful in hi its efforts and was not able to go north of the parallel to make It was able however to report removal of US U.S. occupation occupation occupation tion forces from Southern Ko Ko- Korea Korea Ko- Ko Korea rea on June 29 1949 1919 and it was renewed with stronger powers by the General Assembly in hi October 1949 The Commission was therefore on the scene and operating as it could in the tur tur- turmoil turmoil turmoil moil and uncertainties of a neo neo- neophyte neophyte neophyte nation divided by two ideologies when the attack came It verified the fact that North Korea orea had committed an act of aggression United Effort Within 18 hours after Ambassador Gross Grass Ernest Gross deputy c U. U S. S representative to UN called call c a 11 e d Trygve Lie in the middle of the night to request a meeting ting of the Security Council the United Na Na- Nations Nations Nations had acted It was was this resolution resolution resolution tion of the UN which enabled en bled President Truman to make his historic his his- historic historic decisions The events that have followed have been the most most inspiring I have witnessed in my career as the Representative of the United States at the thc United Nations If proof ever were needed of the vi vi- vitality vitality vitality of the United Nations this situation has provided it If proof ever were needed of the strength of United States support for United Nations principles this situation has provided proy ded that also But perhaps most significant significant cant of all all' all a I has been the manner in which the vast majority of the member nations have bave ral ral- rallied rallied rallied lied to the call of or the Security Council for assistance to the Re Republic Republic public p of Korea The Organization Organization tion of American States speak speak- speaking speaking speaking ing for 21 nations adopted a by y acclamation a resolution en en- endorsing endorsing dorsing the action of of the Se Se- Security Security Security Council Many of the Latin-American Latin states have but but- buttressed buttressed this collective expression expression expression sion of their solidarity with in in- individual individual individual messages of support India and Pakistan the largest I free nations in Asia have endorsed the action taken by the United Na Na- Moving evidence of the par par- particular particular particular concern of the smaller na na- nations nations na- na nations for the success of United Na Na- Nations Nations Nations action against aggression has come from Thailand Unable to contribute armed forces Thailand has expressed its willingness to provide foodstuffs such as rice The uThe nations which have an an- announced announced announced their support for tor the ac ac- action action ac- ac action tion now under way in Korea un un- under under under der the aegis of the United Nations have forcefully expressed their con con- conviction conviction conviction that this issue is not be be- between between between tween two power blocs but between be be- between between tween an aggressor and the United Nations This magnificent collective collective collective tive response is the worlds world's best hope that peace will be restored and maintained |