ABSTRACT
Among United Nations (UN) organs, the Security Council has the “primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security”. Maintaining international peace and security is the primary purpose of the UN. The Security Council has a wide discretion here and focuses not only on inter-state peace—as absence of war—but also on conflict prevention and human security. The Security Council may investigate any dispute, or any situation which might lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute, in order to determine whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security. The collective security system was first put to the test during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, where the Security Council managed to pass several decisive resolutions in support of South Korea. Sanctions are a vital tool at the disposal of the Security Council for dealing preventively with threats to international peace and security.
