Seoul U.N. peacekeeping forum ends with stronger commitments to PKO missions

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Yonhap) -- A South Korea-hosted U.N. peacekeeping forum wrapped up Thursday, with participants making stronger commitments to fostering sustainable peace in conflict zones with advanced technologies, medical capacity and not least the unity of purpose.

During the virtual 2021 Seoul UN Peacekeeping Ministerial, foreign and defense ministers, and other key officials from more than 150 countries and global organizations discussed how to better train and equip U.N. peacekeepers and make their peacekeeping operations (PKO) safer, stronger and more effective in increasingly complex and volatile conditions.

The forum, which began Tuesday, set the stage for more than 60 U.N. member countries to make detailed commitments to the PKO missions, such as providing military assets, personnel, training and other types of support.

South Korea pledged to play an "active, leading" role in enhancing PKO missions by capitalizing on smart technologies and boosting their medical capacity, as depicted in the "Seoul Initiative on Technology and Medical Capacity-Building in Peacekeeping."

The host nation pledged to donate 16 helicopters for operations in Africa and launch a pilot project to apply "smart camp" technologies to pave the way for "safer, more efficient and eco-friendly" U.N. camps.

It also announced plans to allocate an additional $1 million to a peacekeeping trust fund, send more police peacekeepers and host a female military officer course on gender issues.

Seoul officials, moreover, used the session to drum up international support for its steadfast efforts to promote lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.

At the closing ceremony, Seoul's top diplomat Chung Eui-yong highlighted the importance of equipping peacekeepers with emerging technologies and medical capabilities as well as sustained partnerships to bring substantive changes to the field.

"I look forward to the 'Seoul Initiative' helping to ready our peacekeepers to meet their goals and mandates to keep peace and protect vulnerable civilians on the ground," Chung said.

Chung reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to build "inclusive, forward-looking peacekeeping" to promote global peace in partnership with the U.N. while sharing the success story of South Korea's rise from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War.

"Back in 1950, maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula was an urgent matter of discussion at the U.N. Security Council," he said.

"More than 70 years later, I was filled with such honor and excitement to lead this virtual gathering to discuss peacekeeping as a foreign minister of the very country once in dire need of the U.N.'s help," he added.

The high-level U.N. forum, held for the first time in Asia since its launch in 2016, was a culminating moment for South Korea's celebration this year of the 30th anniversary of its entry into the U.N. The two Koreas concurrently joined the world body on Sept. 17, 1991.

Defense Minister Suh Wook expressed hope that pledges presented in the meeting will upgrade the capacity of peacekeeping operations and improve their safety and security against growing threats.

"The Republic of Korea will establish a close partnership with the U.N. and member states to continue to lay out exemplary contribution cases, including the donation of helicopters and bolstering operational capabilities of female forces and police peacekeepers," Suh said.

The Seoul conference was initially set to proceed in an in-person format, but South Korea decided later to hold it virtually amid growing fears of the omicron COVID-19 strain.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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