'UN Peacekeeping Operations Policy Council' Held... Discussion on Extension of Deployment for Dongmyeong Unit and Hanbit Unit

Discussion on Preparations for Hosting Next Year's UN Peacekeeping Ministers Meeting in Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 11th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the 'UN Peacekeeping Operations Policy Council' at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, chaired by Second Vice Minister Lee Tae-ho.

The policy council was attended by related peacekeeping operation agencies including the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and National Police Agency. The Peacekeeping Operations Policy Council was established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pursuant to Article 16 of the Act on Participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations to ensure effective implementation of government policies on peacekeeping operations and cooperation among related ministries.

At this policy council, discussions were held on the extension of deployment of the Dongmyeong Unit and Hanbit Unit, the ROK military peacekeeping forces currently dispatched to Lebanon and South Sudan respectively, as well as the preparation status for hosting the 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting domestically. Considering the relatively stable situation in the deployment areas despite the spread of COVID-19 and the high evaluation our units have received from the UN and local governments through successful mission performance, an extension of the deployment of the ROK military units is necessary.

The Dongmyeong Unit is a 300-person special forces-centered unit dispatched to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and has been active since 2007. The Hanbit Unit is a 300-person engineering-centered unit dispatched to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and has been active since 2013. According to relevant laws, the deployment of ROK military units can be extended annually with the consent of the National Assembly.

At the council, the preparation status of the planning team for the upcoming UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting to be held domestically next year was shared, and there was consensus to closely cooperate among related agencies to hold a substantive meeting despite COVID-19.

Vice Minister Lee urged related ministries to maintain a close communication system and steadily prepare for the ministerial meeting as the host country. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official stated, "Under the policy of fulfilling its role as a responsible middle power for international peace and prosperity, the government has been striving to expand contributions related to the UN's most representative activity in international peace and security, peacekeeping operations, and to enhance our status through this. This policy council is evaluated to have reaffirmed our government's commitment to such contributions and contributed to strengthening intergovernmental cooperation," he explained.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.