Page 244 - 2020 Defence White Paper

team to Western Sahara, an engineering unit to Angola, the Sangnoksu Unit to
East Timor, and the Danbi Unit to Haiti, and continued to engage in peacekeeping
operations in conflict areas around the world. As of November 2020, a total of 573
ROK personnel are carrying out their missions in seven countries. They include 280
in the Dongmyeong Unit in Lebanon, 270 in the Hanbit Unit in South Sudan, and
those deployed individually. An overview of the ROK's participation in peacekeeping
operations is shown in [Chart 6-7].

Dongmyeong Unit in Lebanon

Following the adoption of UN Security
Council Resolutions 425 and 427 in 1978,
the UN established the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and
began to monitor the armistice agree-
ment between Lebanon and Israel. In Maneuvering patrol activity (July 2020)
2006, when the conflict between Israel
and Hezbollah intensif ed, the UN increased the number of peacekeepers from 2,000

to 15,000 and requested member states to participate.
In July 2007, with the National Assembly’s approval, the ROK government
deployed the Dongmyeong Unit, a peacekeeping unit of 350 personnel, to Tyre in
southern Lebanon. Dongmyeong Unit conducts reconnaissance and surveillance
activities to block the smuggling of illegal weapons and entry of militants into its
area of operation in southern Lebanon. In addition to armistice monitoring, the unit
has carried out multi-functional civil-military operations called Peace Wave and
humanitarian assistance activities. The unit has helped improve the living conditions
of local residents through various humanitarian assistance activities such as
providing medical support for local residents, renovating public facilities and school
facilities, and offering Taekwondo classes. The unit’s successful civil–military
operations have been well-received in Lebanon and significantly contributed to the
stabilization of the southern Lebanon region.
In particular, during the Beirut explosion which resulted in huge number of
casualties in August 2020, Dongmyeong Unit urgently provided the Lebanese
58)
"Dongmyeong" means Armed Forces with 6,000 sets of daily necessities including face masks stockpiled
bright light of the east from
an eastern country, and by the unit and 4,000 sets of locally-purchased medical supplies. Major activities of
signifies hope for a bright
future and peace. the Dongmyeong Unit are listed in [Chart 6-8].

2020 Defense White Paper