South Korea Stresses U.N. Command’s Role Amid Rising Tensions with North Korea

General


SEOUL — Amid increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Vice Unification Minister Moon Seoung-hyun underscored the critical role of the U.N. Command (UNC) in maintaining peace and stability in the region. Speaking at a roundtable session with ambassadors from UNC member countries, Moon briefed them on South Korea’s unification policy and the government’s response to the escalating provocations from North Korea, which recently declared South Korea as its “primary foe.”



According to Yonhap News Agency, Moon emphasized the government’s serious approach to the recent developments and its commitment to enhancing cooperation with UNC member countries and the international community to address North Korea’s provocations. The session highlighted a unified stance among the ambassadors against North Korea’s prioritization of weapons development over the welfare of its people and called for intensified international cooperation to prompt a change in the regime’s behavior.



This meeting occurs as North Korea intensifies its military activities and rhetoric, marking a year of elections in both South Korea and the United States. At a year-end party meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un described inter-Korean relations as inherently adversarial and expressed intentions to dominate South Korea in case of conflict. The UNC, under the jurisdiction of which lies the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, remains a focal point of efforts to foster peace and stability on the peninsula. A recent meeting between Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho and UNC chief Gen. Paul LaCamera, the first of its kind, further illustrates South Korea’s dedication to strengthening ties with the U.S.-led multinational command.