The Army held a ceremony Monday marking the creation and dispatch of a South Korean contingent to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday a two-year mission to help train the Middle East country’s special forces.
The dispatch of the 130-strong contingent, named “Akh,” “brothers” in Arabic, follows the UAE’s request last August that South Korea help it nurture world-class special warfare troops.
The Seoul government believes that the mission in a non-conflict region will help promote national interests and further boost military and economic ties with the oil-rich country.
Some 600 people, including Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Han Min-koo and Army Chief of Staff Kim Sang-ki, participated in the ceremony, taking place at the Special Warfare Training Group in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province.
“This dispatch is different from that of our existing troops operating overseas as peace-keeping or multinational forces. It is a military cooperation model in which our troops share their training experience in a non-conflict region at the request of the country,” said President Lee Myung-bak in a statement read out by Minister Kim.
“Through such military cooperation, we can deepen our comprehensive strategic partnership with the UAE. Furthermore, (the dispatch) will be helpful in strengthening our energy security and expanding our trade base in the Middle East region.”
A soldier bids farewell to his twin daughters at a ceremony in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday to dispatch a South Korean contingent to the United Arab Emirates. (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)
After the National Assembly passed the dispatch motion on Dec. 8, special troops of the contingent received four weeks of training, which included anti-terror and special warfare procedures, and an introduction on the UAE.
The contingent, led by Lieut. Col. Choi Han-oh, will be located within the UAE special warfare school in Al Ain, where military officials say there is no danger of any military conflict. It will use the on-site garrison facilities and training range, which will be offered for free by the UAE.
The primary roles for the contingent will be helping educate and train UAE special warfare troops, engaging in combined exercises and protecting South Korean citizens in case of emergencies, officials said.
“Morale for our troops is at its highest level. In our dispatch site, we will promote the excellence of our special warfare troops and contribute to enhancing our national prestige,” said Choi.
The Defense Ministry plans to dispatch the contingent until December 2012. If necessary, the dispatch period could be extended, officials said.
The troops’ rotation cycle will be four to six months. The ministry tentatively estimates a budget of some 14 billion won ($12.51 million) for the first year of the troop dispatch and 8 billion won for the next year.
The advance party of the contingent arrived in the UAE last month to ensure that everything is ready for the South Korean troops to successfully carry out their mission.
By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)
