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Why could the Soviet Union not veto the UN resolution supporting South Korea?
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Korean War
Map showing North Korean advances in the Korean War in June–August 1950.
The Soviet Union could not veto the United Nations resolution supporting South Korea because it was boycotting the United Nations Security Council at the time.1
The Soviet representative was absent from the council in June 1950 due to a protest regarding the issue of China’s UN membership. Because the Soviet Union was not present to exercise its veto power, the United States was able to successfully steer through a series of resolutions that authorized the use of military force to support South Korea during the Korean War.1