The Only Time and Place

It’s only happened once. And the chances of it happening again are slim to none. When North Korea attacked across the 38th parallel on June 25, 1950, and captured Seoul three days later, the UN took action. With the adoption of Security Council Resolution 84 on July 7, combat troops were sent to the Republic of Korea. An historic precedent had been set.

For the next three years (1950-1953), UN forces fought Soviet-trained and equipped North Korean soldiers and Chinese troops, or “volunteers” as Mao called them. The death toll on both sides - military and civilian - was shocking.

Civilians during the Korean War. (public domain)

But what’s frequently forgotten in this tragic tale is Resolution 84 would have never passed if the Soviet Union, a veto-wielding country adamantly opposing the intervention, had voted.

In a remarkable twist of history, the USSR’s representative was absent on July 7, 1950. Upset over Communist China (PRC) not having a permanent seat on the Council, the Soviet Union had boycotted the proceedings.

The United Nations Memorial Cemetery

Fate had intervened on the side of South Korea.

Since its founding in 1945, the UN has been involved in numerous “peace-keeping” missions, but to this day, the Korean conflict is the only time UN soldiers have fought in a war.

Last Friday in Busan, after attending a conference with professors from Korea University, I visited the United Nations Peace Memorial Hall, a relatively new complex located in the city center. Complete with a museum, observatory, conference rooms, and offices, it’s an impressive facility.

(Photo courtesy of Ned Forney).

We received a wonderful tour of the museum, and the director, Ms. Jun Oi-Sook, then met with us and shared the inspiring history of the site and the nearby United Nations Memorial Cemetery - the only UN cemetery in the world.

We finished our visit walking quietly among the graves, flags, and memorials. The cemetery is a powerful tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for South Korea. The afternoon was also a reminder of how close the Koreans had come to losing their freedom.

As I glanced around the teeming city of Busan and boarded the KTX (a state-of-the-art bullet train) that would take me back to Seoul, I had a new appreciation for the past.

Semper Fi!