ABSTRACT
The involvement of the United Nations in Korea predated the outbreak of war in 1950 and came at a time of turmoil and instability that marked the most sensitive transitional period in the Korean peninsula. Korea, which remained a dependency of China for centuries and had been formally subjugated by Japan in 1910, was declared a free state at the Yalta conference in February 1945. However, a transitional period was agreed upon during which the United States would operate south of the 38th parallel and the Soviet Union in the North.1 When the US-Soviet Commission disagreed on the issue of democratic elections in Korea the United States unilaterally decided to refer the matter to the United Nations.2 On 14 November 1947 the General Assembly formed a UN Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK) to observe elections in both parts of the country.3 As disagreement continued between the superpowers and the relations between South Korea and North Korea became bitter, UNTCOK was only able to observe the election in South Korea in May 1948. On 20 July 1948 Dr Syngman Rhee became the first President of the Republic of Korea and the General Assembly recognised his Government’s authority and control over the part of Korea which was accessible to the Commission.4
