For the past half century, the United Nations Command (UNC) has maintained security on the Korean peninsula. The UNC was established in Tokyo, Japan, on 24 July 1950, in order to repel the North Korean communist aggression.

The first commander of the UNC was General Douglas MacArthur, a hero of World War II. At dawn on 25 June 1950, North Korea invaded the South in order to unify the Korean peninsula under communist idealogy. The Republic of Korea launched a counterattack, but it was difficult to stop the advance of the communists. Because this act of aggression, the UN convened the Security Council, and ordered ?ithdrawal of North Korea forces to the north of the 38th Parallel through a resolution on 25 June 1950. When the North Korea refused this demand, the UNSC passed another resolution on 27 June 1950 which authorized the ?se of force of UN member countries to repel North Korean forces? Finally, on 7 July 1950, the UNSC passed a third resolution which appointed the U.S. as its executive agent to appoint a commander of a unified command under the UN banner to assist the ROK in repelling attack and to restore international peace and security.

Under this provision, 16 nations, led by the United States of the America, sent their troops to Korea. The countries were: the U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Colombia, Ethiopia, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and the Philippines. Five other nations, Denmark, India, Italy, Norway and Sweden, provided medical units.