S. Korea assumes rotating UN Security Council presidency for May

South Korea on Thursday assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for May.

Oh Joon, the permanent representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, took over the rotating council presidency from U. Joy Ogwu, the Nigerian UN ambassador who held the council presidency for the month of April.

South Korea won its non-permanent seat on the 15-nation body in October 2012 and started its two-year term in early 2013.

There will be a press conference on Friday to officially brief the program of work for the month.

Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security in the world at large.

The council is composed of five permanent members -- China, the U.S., the U.K., France, and Russia -- and 10 non-permanent members that are elected in groups of five to two-year terms on the council.

The presidency of the council rotates among countries serving in the peace and security body on a monthly basis based on the English-language alphabetical order of the countries' names.