Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

S. Korea, Uruguay sign MOU to cooperate in UN peacekeeping operations (PKO)

- Laid an institutional groundwork for bilateral cooperation regarding PKO
- Mutually beneficial cooperation expected by sharing experiences and personnel exchanges with PKO

On the morning of Thursday, July 13, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup invited Uruguayan Ambassador to Seoul Pablo Scheiner to the Defense Ministry. They had a signing ceremony for an MOU on Korea-Uruguay cooperation in UN PKO.

The reciprocal signing of the MOU for Korea-Uruguay cooperation in UN PKO proceeded as follows: Uruguay’s Defense Minister Javier Garcia first signed the document in May and forwarded it to Korea. Subsequently, Minister Lee added his signature, finalizing the MOU.

With the execution of the MOU, Korean and Uruguay laid a foundation for sharing information and experience regarding PKO.

Uruguay maintains 1,000 peacekeepers in the Golan Heights and Congo, while Korea is operating 600 peacekeepers in Lebanon and South Sudan.

Since the two countries maintain UN PKO in different countries, this MOU will allow them to implement mutually beneficial operations through joint research and education, sharing of experience, and exchange of personnel.

Following the signing ceremony, during the ensuing meeting, Minister Lee told Ambassador Scheiner, “With this MOU, I anticipate more active defense cooperation not only in peacekeeping operations, but also in military logistics and the defense industry.”

Minister Lee voiced his hopes for the continued prosperity of the longstanding friendly relations between Korea and Uruguay, and requested Uruguay’s support for Korea to host the 2030 Busan Expo.