Above: UN Command Honor Guard in South Korea from Associated Press.
More than 40 Korean as well as international peace organizations have sent an open interrogatory to UN Secretary-General indicating that the use of the UN flag by the so-called “United Nations Command” based in South Korea and Japan is not appropriate, and the related press conference is scheduled tomorrow, 1 pm, Oct 1st at Church Center of UN (777 UN Plaza Suite 7C, NY, NY 10017)
The so-called “UN Command” based in Korea since the Korean War which started in 1950 is a ‘camouflage’ organization made by the United States by distorting the resolutions of the UN Security Council. In addition, the right to authorize the use of the UN flag by the UN Security Council is also in violation of the UN Flag Code.
Korean as well as international peace organizations demand that UN Secretary-General should stop “UN Command”’s use of the UN flag, pointing out that it is unlawful that the UN flag is used by the so-called “UN Command” which is not an official entity of the United Nations(According to the United Nations Flag Code, the right to authorize the use of the UN flag depends on UN Secretary General.)
Since the 1970s, UN member countries have demanded that the dissolution of “UN Command” and the termination of its use of the UN flag. In 1975, it was resolved in the UN General Assembly that the “UN Command” was to be dissolved. In 1993, the UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali stated that “UN Command” is not an official entity of the United Nations, and in 1994, he further clarified that he did not authorize the use of the UN flag by the “UN Command.”
However, the United States has ignored the position of the UN General Assembly and the UN Secretary-general, as well as the UN Charter and the UN Flag Code. In this regard, Korean and international peace organizations express their concerns the letter to UN Secretary-General “seeking his position on the Use of the uN Flag by the “UN Command in Korea and Japan.”
The letter to the UN Secretary-General to be sent on Sep 30th, 2019 by the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL), endorsed by more than 40 international as well as Korean peace organizations. Jeanne Mirer, esq., president of IADL, indicates that it is a severe violation of the founding spirit of the United Nations promoting peace that the United States has misused the UN name and made a camouflage organization as if “UN Command’ is a UN force.
Six of Korea’s representative civilian peace organizations organized by KIPF (Korea International Peace Forum) have teamed up to form a Korea peace delegation during the UNGA period. They are visiting New York City from Korea in order to promote Korea peace issues in the international community. Mr. Kyungwan Ryu, head of the delegation remarks that the “UN Command” issue has become a controversial hot topic in Korea. Indeed, it is the “UN Command” which prohibited the long-desired project to reconnect inter-Korean railways and roads in pursuit of the 2018 April inter-Korean summit.”
International peace organizations urge that UN member countries pay attention to the “UN Command” matter in order to help resolve the “UN Command” problems damaging the legal authority and international order of the United Nations. Beginning with sending a letter to the UN Secretary-General, they intend to continue to make dedicated efforts at the international level by revealing the “UN Command” is a camouflage created by the United States and demanding corrective actions. The “UN Command” issue is becoming more and more noticeable news in Korea together with the return of the military operational rights from the U.S. to the Republic of Korea which is scheduled in 2020.