The U.N. is a Valuable Organization

The United Nations (U.N.) is perhaps the most well-known international organization in Korea. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, a Korean national, has inspired many young students. They consider him a role model and hope to someday work for the international organization.

Established after the end of World War II, the U.N. is currently the largest international organization, with 192 member states. The two Koreas joined the U.N. in 1991, with North Korea as the 160th and South Korea as the 161st member state.

Although the U.N. stands as a representative international organization, many people are not aware of its exact role and function. In fact, the role of this organization has been a topic of debate in world politics for many years.

Some experts in international relations believe that the U.N. is not capable of serving as a world government. It lacks the authority to rule over other sovereign states.

Another thing is the structure of the organization is flawed. Major decisions are made by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), one of the principal bodies of the organization, in charge of making critical decisions for the maintenance of peace and security. Due to this structure, the decisions are influenced by the interests of some major powers.

For this reason, the U.N. has often failed to prevent armed conflicts. As statistics show, the number of armed conflicts has not decreased since the U.N. was established.

The U.N. has also failed to stand up against human rights violations, crimes against humanity and ruthless dictatorships.

Some point out that the U.N. has grown too big and become inefficient. There are too many sub-organizations and other related bodies.

On the other hand, there are people who think that the U.N. keeps bringing up new issues that call for cooperation on a global scale. Although it may not be able to solve all international issues, the U.N. raises awareness of issues that call for joint efforts from the international community.

Specialized organizations also play an important role. For instance, UNESCO promotes cultural exchange among nations and preservation of valuable cultural assets, while UNICEF works to support children around the world.

In addition, the U.N. provides a framework for peace and resolving conflicts, which is one of the main purposes of the organization. Although the U.N. can’t prevent all armed conflicts among nations, the organization still serves as a tool for peace, cooperation and international security.

In fact, there are numerous peace-keeping forces performing their missions in different parts of the world. Some Korean forces wearing the symbolic blue helmet using equipments marked “U.N.” are also participating in those missions. Such role played by the U.N. should not be undervalued.