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A government official said Tuesday Korea had no plans to join the U.N. Security Council as the U.N. mulls plans to expand the council to up to 13 permanent members. However, Korea would in any case be in no position to join.
¡ß Security Council reorganization
There will be no change in the position of the existing permanent members with veto power -- the U.S., the U.K., France, China and Russia, and two-year terms of non-permanent members will continue. The number of non-permanent members without veto power will increase. A plan supported by many nations calls for the addition of six permanent members without veto power, while another envisages eight semi-permanent members that would serve four-year terms.
¡ß Why can¡¯t Korea join?
Korea¡¯s national power based on GDP ranks 11th in the world. In terms of total trade, Korea ranked 12th as of 2003 -- 12th in exports, and 14 in imports. In terms of U.N. dues paid, it ranks 11th. Based on economic factors, then, there would be no reason for Korea not to join the Security Council if it expands to 11 or 13 nations. There is even less reason for Korea not to dream of joining the council.
But the new members would have to be picked by continent. In Asia, Japan has the world¡¯s second largest GDP, pays the second most U.N. dues, is the second largest aid donor and third largest trading nation. Japan¡¯s GDP is seven times the size of Korea's, and it pays 10 times more in U.N. dues. In a poll on support for council candidates announced by the BBC on Monday, Japan came in second with 54 percent support from people around the world after Germany with 56 percent. Japan also has the open backing of the United States.
India, another major Asian competitor, is a strong candidate in terms of size and political clout. A Foreign Ministry official said that while India wasn¡¯t on the same level economically as Korea, there was no doubt within the international community as to the potential of the world's second most populous country. India is also a leader within the Nonaligned Movement. Some 15 times larger than the Korean Peninsula at 3.29 million square kilometers, with a population of 1.07 billion, it is South Asia¡¯s leading nuclear power.
¡ß Non-permanent status only
If the eight-nation, four-year term plan were adopted, Korea might challenge for a spot after Japan and India have had their turns.
However, Saudi Arabia, which fancies itself as a major Middle Eastern power, may call for the Middle East to get its turn. Then there is always Pakistan, which claims to be a nuclear power on the same level as India. Indonesia, an oil-producing nation with a population of over 100 million, could make a claim, as could Thailand, which is a traditionally powerful nation diplomatically. Then there is always the possibility that China, taking into consideration its ally North Korea, may not permit Seoul to join.
It is unlikely that either Japan or India would miss out on their vested rights, and they can be re-elected even if the four-year, eight-nation system were adopted.
The Foreign Ministry official said realistically Korea was most likely be named a two-year, non-permanent member. Non-permanent members currently number 10. Korea served as a non-permanent member from 1996-1997and plans to challenge again for 2007-2008.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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