Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Commonwealth of Australia

Korea is set to dispatch a civil reconstruction mission and a mission-guarding military unit to war-torn Afghanistan in July this year. The decision came as a response to the UN Security Council's resolution 1890 calling for international support for reconstruction and peacekeeping efforts in Afghanistan. The Korean government's plan to send troops to Afghanistan won the National Assembly's approval in February.
The Korean Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) and a 320-strong military unit to protect the PRT will be stationed in the Parwan Province, directly north of the capital city Kabul. The PRT is charged with building developmental infrastructure in the designated province in collaboration with the central and local governments of Afghanistan. The Korean PRT, comprising of 100 civilian experts and 40 police officers, is expected to enhance the local government offices' administrative efficiency, provide developmental assistance in the fields of agriculture, education and vocational training and offer medical services in Parwan Province.
The Korean PRT is different from those of other nations in that it is more aimed at improving the quality of local people's lives rather than providing military support. Korea in the past sent two different units to Afghanistan, Dongui and Dasan, which accomplished their respective missions and returned home. The medical Dongui Unit provided healthcare services to soldiers and civilians from 2002 to 2007, while the engineering Dasan Unit provided construction support for allied forces from 2003 to 2007.