Deploying Peacekeeping Forces to Haiti Mulled

The government yesterday said it is considering sending peacekeeping forces to Haiti to assist relief and reconstruction efforts.

Vice Foreign Minister Chun Young-woo said this in a private-public joint council meeting on emergency assistance for Haiti, adding, “We’ve also begun discussions with the United Nations.”

“The Haitian earthquake is the first major disaster facing the international community since Korea joined the (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s) Development Assistance Committee in November. It is a litmus test for global Korea’s love of humanity.”

A government source said, “With demand for security rising in Haiti, the U.N. has asked countries to send more troops,” adding, “(Korean) government ministries are discussing the size, type and timing of deploying Korean peacekeeping forces to Haiti.”

Seoul will review the deployment after the U.N. Security Council in New York today adopts a resolution on assistance to Haiti.

Korea ill also send a second team of medics to Haiti and answer the U.S. “flash appeal” for urgent aid.

In addition, Korean Maj. Lee Seon-hee is representing Korea in Haiti as a member of the U.N. Stabilization Mission, which is in charge of security on the island country.

spear@donga.com