Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

On March 30, the Korea Army Special Warfare Command had a farewell ceremony to dispatch 16th Dongmyeong unit to relieve soldiers in Lebanon conducting the UN peacekeeping mission. 

The ceremony was held by the Army Chief of Staff Kim Yo-hwan and attended by 309 dispatching soldiers and around 900 of their family members and relevant military officials, including Colonel Lee Yun-seok, the 16th unit commander.

For eight months, by this December, those soldiers are to carry out various civil and military operations of surveillance patrol activities to block off illegal armed forces penetrating into the operation area as well as to deter them from militant activities. 

After being selected from a competition of 6 to 1 on average to be dispatched, they have gone through a four-week course consisting of situational tactical training and its measures, functional occupational specialty and civil-military operations, Islamic culture and Arabic education, etc. Eighty-six of them are experienced from being dispatched to Lebanon, East Timor, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries, so they are expected to adapt to new circumstances early and carry out missions immediately.

Also, Sergeant First Class Jang In-young from the civil military coordination group and five other soldiers follow their fathers who have been dispatched overseas. Master Sergeant Kim Dae-kwan especially became known for this being his fifth dispatch after one time to Iraq and Lebanon, and two times to Afghanistan. 

“We have prepared for the execution of missions at the highest level to complete dispatch missions at our respective positions. As we represent the Korean Army and are marked with the UN and Korea on our shoulders, we do our best to maintain a peaceful Lebanon and honor to our homeland with a sense of duty and pride,” said Colonel Lee Yun-seok, the commander of the 16th unit. 

After the farewell ceremony, they are going to be divided into two echelons and depart to Lebanon on May 7 and 15, respectively. 

By Ah-Mi, Cho <joajoa@dema.mil.kr>

<Copyright ⓒ The Korea Defense Daily, All rights reserved>