Veto power (UN Security Council)
거부권 (안전보장이사회)
The power held by each of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia/USSR, and China) to unilaterally block any substantive resolution. The word 'veto' does not appear in the UN Charter; instead, Article 27(3) requires 'the concurring votes of the permanent members' for all non-procedural decisions, effectively establishing the veto. Abstention or absence does not count as a veto, which is why Security Council Resolutions 82–84 on Korea passed in 1950 during the Soviet boycott.
In depth
Article 27 of the UN Charter
Each member of the Security Council shall have one vote. Decisions on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members. Decisions on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members.
Origins
The veto was settled at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference (1944) and the Yalta Conference (1945), resulting in what became known as the 'Yalta formula.' The Soviet Union argued for an absolute veto, while the UK wanted to restrict vetoes by parties to a dispute. The final compromise allowed each permanent member to veto any non-procedural decision.
The Korean War and Soviet Absence
From 13 January to 1 August 1950, the Soviet Union boycotted the Security Council to protest the UN's refusal to seat the People's Republic of China. During this boycott, the Council passed Resolution 82 (condemning the North Korean attack), Resolution 83 (recommending military assistance to South Korea), and Resolution 84 (establishing a unified UN command). Only a negative vote, not absence, constitutes a veto under Article 27, so the USSR's empty seat allowed the resolutions to pass, shaping the international response to the war.
Usage
Since the first Soviet veto on 16 February 1946, the veto has been exercised roughly 300 times. During the Cold War, the USSR cast over 90% of all vetoes; since 1970, the United States has been the most frequent user. After the Cold War, France and the UK have not used the veto since 1989, while Russia and China have used it more frequently since 2011, particularly regarding Syria.
Related historical events
Sources
- Wikipedia (EN) comprehensive article on the veto power: UN Charter Article 27 basis, Yalta formula origins, distinction between procedural and substantive votes, abstention/absence not counting as veto, Soviet boycott enabling Korean War resolutions, usage statistics by permanent member across Cold War and post-Cold War periods.
- Wikipedia (RU) Russian Wikipedia article confirming veto mechanics, Yalta formula text, Article 27 wording (1965 amendment from 7 to 9 votes), Soviet 'empty chair' policy in January–August 1950, and statistics on USSR/Russia veto usage.
- securitycouncilreport.org Security Council Report: authoritative working-methods reference confirming Article 27(3) as the legal basis, the non-counting of abstention/absence, first USSR veto (16 Feb 1946), US first veto (17 Mar 1970), and post-2011 Russia/China veto patterns.
- un.org Official UN Charter text, Article 27: the exact wording of the concurring-votes provision that establishes the veto.
- Wikipedia (EN) confirms the Soviet boycott of 13 January–1 August 1950 and the resulting passage of Resolutions 82–84 on Korea in the USSR's absence.