As the only candidate nation in Asia, Seoul was chosen in a vote at the UN General Assembly in New York, returning to the UNSC 11 years after last sitting on the council in 2013-14, South Korean Yonhap news agency reported.
South Korea won the seat after garnering 180 votes among 192 member states during the assembly.
Seoul's foreign ministry welcomed the results, vowing efforts to "lead discussions" in issues related to security, peacekeeping, and women, as well as new threats, such as cybersecurity and climate change.
The council, the UN's most powerful body that can make legally binding decisions such as imposing sanctions, consists of five permanent members, including the US, China, and Russia, and 10 non-permanent members.
To win a non-permanent seat, a country needs to secure at least two-thirds of the votes from the countries attending the general assembly, out of the 193 member states.
AMK/PR