COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY ANALYSIS OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMAND’S IMPACT ON THE SECURITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

This thesis examines the past impact United Nations Command (UNC) has had on South Korean security. With South Korea’s security environment facing significant changes today, including the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) and the push to establish a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, the UNC is under debate over whether it has to remain in the peninsula. This thesis seeks to analyze the impact of the UNC on South Korea’s security on a comprehensive security concept to give insight into the debate. This thesis analyzes the UNC’s influence on South Korea’s security before and after the creation of the CFC in 1978, when the UNC’s role was changed. This thesis insists that the UNC has had different effects on the comprehensive security of South Korea. Prior to 1978, the UNC had a positive impact on South Korea’s military and economic security but had a somewhat negative impact on political and diplomatic security. Since 1978, the UNC has had a limited positive impact on South Korea’s military security and has played a positive role in diplomatic security. Based on these findings, this thesis proposes that South Korea should have diplomatic initiative to resolve Korean Peninsula issues. This thesis also suggests that before establishing a peace regime, there should be no room for concessions in denuclearization negotiations with North Korea. Finally, this thesis suggests that the UNC should remain as an extension of its past positive role.
Major, Republic of Korea Army
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