By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, June 21 – North Korea's UN Ambassador Sin Son-ho on Friday called for the dismantling of the decades old “UN Command” in South Korea. He quoted former UN Secretaries General Boutros Boutros Ghali and Kofi Annan that it is not really a “UN” force.
When called on for a question by Sin Son-ho, Inner City Press asked if he knew the view of current Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean foreign minister, and if the UN could itself dismantle the UN Command as a mis-use of the UN name. Video here from Minute 35:34.
Sin Son-ho replied that the call for dismantling is in the first instance to the US; if no action is taken, North Korea will ask the General Assembly to act.
The problem with that is that GA resolutions have no legal effect. In the Security Council, the US could veto any resolution.
Sin Son-ho's press conference was standing room only, with photographers clicking and reporters shouting questions. Sin Son-ho did not call on the old UN Correspondents Association first but they insisted on it, as they did earlier this year with Evo Morales.
UNCA's 2013 president Pamela Falk of CBS, once the first question was re-directed to her, asked a pre-formulated question about the US position. Then, when Sin Son-ho called on Inner City Press and it thanked him on behalf of the new Free UN Coalition for Access, he spoke of his General Assembly plan.
A Japanese journalist emphasized that the sanctions are from the “international community.” Sin Son-ho urged countries not to follow the US in “blackmail.”
Inner City Press by Twitter sought response from the US Mission to the UN and its Ambassador Susan Rice. Watch this site.
