November 9, 2011 (DUBAI) – A South Korean delegation will visit South Sudan in mid-November in order to follow up previous assessments intended to lead to the deployment there of peacekeepers from the east Asian country.

South Korea’s Minister of Special Affairs Lee Jae-oh (left) and South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Deng Alor Kuol show protocols to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries at the presidential palace in Juba, South Sudan. (Yonhap News)

Soon after South Sudan gained independence in July this year, the UN’s secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon asked South Korea to send non-combat troops there, such as engineers and medics, as part of UN peacekeeping forces.

Indeed, Seoul took the request of the UN’s chief, himself a South Korean, into consideration and dispatched a delegation to South Sudan in early October. The delegation carried out an assessment of the local security situation, infrastructure and geographical features in the East African nation.

Yonhap, South Korea’s official news agency, on Monday reported that another delegation comprising of 10 officials from the foreign ministry, ministry of defense and the joint chief of staff will travel to South Sudan from 14-18 November.

According to Yonhap, the follow-up delegation is meant to focus on military issues and submit a report to the government upon its return.

"Compared to a previous trip to South Sudan in early October, officials will take a closer look at circumstances for peacekeeping operations," a state official said as quoted by the agency.

South Korea is expected to make its final decision following the return of the delegation.

The United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), whose mandate was authorised by the UN Security Council’s resolution 1996 in July, currently has 623 international civilian personnel and 7,900 military and police personnel.

(ST)