Seoul, South Korea - Germany will seriously and carefully consider joining the United Nations Command (UNC) if officially proposed, stated German Ambassador to South Korea, Georg Schmidt. The possibility of Germany joining the UNC has recently gained traction, following South Korea's suggestion to expand the member states during defense talks last week.
According to Yonhap News Agency, in an interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul on Tuesday, Ambassador Schmidt noted the uniqueness of the UNC, which was established in 1950 to enforce the Korean War armistice and serve as a headquarters for potential troop contributions by U.N. sending states. He acknowledged that if Germany receives an official request to join the UNC, the decision would require careful consideration and involve multiple actors, not just South Korea.
The discussion of Germany as a potential new UNC member follows South Korea's rejection of a U.S.-led push to add the country under the previous Moon Jae-in government, which critics claim was an effort to advance peace talks with North Korea. North Korea has consistently called for the dissolution of the UNC, labeling it a source of tension on the Korean Peninsula.
Ambassador Schmidt, who officially assumed his role in October, also commented on the strategic challenges posed by the U.S.-China rivalry. He advised against relying heavily on a single economic partner, emphasizing the concept of "de-risking" and the importance of diversifying economic relationships. This approach, he suggested, could open new opportunities for cooperation between South Korea and Germany.
Regarding the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, Schmidt emphasized the need for international efforts to engage third parties like China under the U.N. sanctions regime. He underscored those sanctions are a European matter and that dialogue with China is crucial to ensure tensions do not escalate further.
On the topic of North Korea's human rights issues, Schmidt referenced Germany's own divided history and the Holocaust, highlighting the importance of documenting human rights abuses for accountability. He expressed his desire to expand the scope of diplomacy beyond Seoul and to deepen ties through people-to-people exchanges, focusing on common social challenges faced by both Germany and South Korea.