Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

ROK presents blueprint for the future at the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial
Defense minister Suh Wook unveils ‘six pledges for contributions,’ including
building ‘smart camps’ via ROK’s ICT capability, and  sending medical units, military engineers, helicopters, women, and police officers to PKO

As a blueprint for the future of the United Nations Mission, the Republic of Korea suggested the building of ‘smart camps’ via the country’s advanced information communication technology (ICT). Korea's suggestions also included an offer of sixteen 500MD helicopters to the mission in Africa to support peacekeeping operations (PKO).

In keeping with the suggestion, Minister of National Defense Suh Wook unveiled the ROK’s ‘six pledges for contributions’ through his keynote presentation at the second session of the ‘2021 Seoul United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Ministerial’ held on December 7.

The six pledges include building ‘smart camps,’ ‘strengthening the medical and quarantine capabilities,’ ‘support for the training for military engineers,’ ‘offering helicopters,’ ‘promoting the involvement of women in PKO,’ and ‘expanding the dispatch of police officers to PKO.’ 

“The ROK will take the lead in turning the UN's local mission into a forward-looking ‘smart camp,’” Suh said in a statement. The aim of the smart camp project is to build a safe, effective, and environment-friendly UN local mission through the ROK’s ICT capability. Based on the UN's needs, the ROK discovered fourteen technical tasks, and worked on an analysis of applicability and feasibility. Beginning next year, the ROK has a plan to collaborate with the UN to push forward with a trial project targeting the Hanbit Unit in South Sudan.

The ROK will dispatch to the Hanbit Unit in South Sudan the ‘medical support team as a mission in South Sudan’ consisting of eight military surgeons and nurse officers, with the aim of enhancing medical and quarantine capabilities. The mission members will carry out education on the prevention of infectious disease and first aid, targeting the PKO personnel, including ordinary soldiers and medical officers of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). In the long term, the ROK’s foreign ministry has a plan to build a medical training center, a project that the ministry has been working on with Ethiopia, by providing 4.5 million dollars to the African Union, while the military has a plan to support professional education by sending a drill instructor.

Regarding the offering of 500MD helicopters, Suh said “We will provide support for the creation of a UN helicopter unit by building a partnership with force donors, such as Kenya. We will also work to build exemplary cooperation cases, including providing the relevant state with a support package ranging from helicopter maintenance to education on operation when needed.”

Suh also expressed his intention to “share the ROK’s vast experience in operating engineering troops with UN member states.” Following this, the ROK has a plan to provide engineering equipment and military instructors to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states by building a trilateral partnership among the UN, ROK, and force donors.

To strengthen the capability of female peacekeeping agents, one of the UN’s major concerns, the ROK will promote the involvement of women in PKO by introducing the UN female operation curriculum (FMOC) in the international PKO center at the Korea National Defense University starting in 2023. The military will also expand the dispatch of police PKO agents by adding five to ten agents to the existing four agents. The military will also send one cyber expert to the Secretariat of the UN.

At the Tuesday meeting, Suh promised that “the ROK, which was supported by the UN 70 years ago, will take the lead in PKO by fulfilling the six pledges,” stressing that “the ROK will provide support to building smart camps, a casualty tracing system, and digital transition strategy for the UN by earmarking an additional one million dollars to the PKO trust fund.”

By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >

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