The United Nations General Assembly resolution 498 was approved on February 1, 1951, in response to the intervention of Chinese Communist troops in Korean War.

It was the first time in which United Nations treated a nation as an aggressor.

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 498

Background

In late 1950, hundreds of thousands of Chinese Communist troops crossed into North Korea to help the troops of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to fight the coalition led by United States and the Republic of Korea.

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 498

The General Assembly vote followed unsuccessful attempts by the U.S. delegation to the United Nations to have the Security Council take action against the Chinese Communists. Exercising his nation's veto power, the Soviet representative on the Security Council consistently blocked the U.S. effort. Turning to the General Assembly, the U.S. delegation called for the United Nations to condemn communist China as an aggressor in Korea.

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 498

The resolution in few words

The resolution had 3 main points: The aggression of the People's Republic of China is condemned The Chinese troops are exhorted to leave Korea The United Nations member states are exhorted to continue supporting the U.N. troops in Korea

The voting in detail

For

Brazil

Chile

Philippines

Against

Burma

Abstentions

Syria

Yemen

Aftermath

The action was largely symbolic, because many nations were reluctant to take more forceful action against the People's Republic of China for fear that the conflict in Korea would escalate. While economic and political sanctions could have been brought against Red China, the United Nations decided to take no further action. The Korean War continued for 2 more years, finally ending in a stalemate and an armistice in 1953.

See also

United Nations General Assembly resolution

United Nations Security Council resolution

References

United Nations General Assembly resolutions

Korean War

1951 in the United Nations

February 1951 events

Korea and the United Nations

China and the United Nations