Changes in International Security Environment and Paradigm Shifts in Overseas Dispatch of Korean Troops:

Abstract

After being admitted to the United Nation (UN) in September 1991, South Korea began dispatching units of engineers on Peacekeeping Operation (PKO) to Somalia in 1994. Since then, it has been involved in promoting national interests and international peacekeeping operations such as armistice monitoring, reconstruction and disaster relief activities by dispatching troops and individuals to conflict zones around the world. In addition, starting with the dispatch of the Zaytun Division to Iraq, South Korean troops have experienced new battlefield environments through Multi-national Force Peace Operation (MNF PO) and secured momentum for improving their ability to carry out independent operations and strengthening the capacity to perform combined operations with the allies through the dispatch of such troops as the Akh Unit to non-conflict zones for Defense Cooperation Activities (DCA). In particular, with changes in the international security environment, where the number of non-traditional security threats such as international terrorism increases in addition to disputes between countries in the global era, the role of the Cheonghae Unit in ensuring the safety of its people from piracy, performing joint maritime operations with major countries and contributing to international maritime peace and security in the face of conflicts between the US and Iran has been highlighted again. Therefore, in the future, flexible approaches are needed for the diversification of overseas dispatch to perform additional missions in the temporarily expanded operation areas as in the dispatch of the Cheonghae Unit, a multi-national force. In this regard, this paper proposes major tasks and paradigm shifts for overseas dispatches in consideration of the expansion of roles and missions of multi-national forces such as PKO and Cheonghae Unit in the changing international security environment, and the current national defense and security environment characterized by reductions in the armed forces due to low birthrates. In the light of national defense and security environment at home and abroad in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is desirable to actively review the diversification of dispatching Korean troops, such as expanding tech-oriented troop contribution, breaking away from the conventional engineer-oriented dispatch.