Dongmyeong Unit

Dongmyeong Unit (Korean: 동명부대, Hanja: 東明 dongmyeong means 'light from the east') is one of the UN Peacekeeping Forces sent to Lebanon by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces (ROKA). It was formed on 21 June 2007.[1] The conflict in Lebanon began in 1975, after an outbreak of armed clashes between Christians and the Lebanese, Syrian and Israeli militaries leading into the Lebanese Civil War. To prevent ongoing hostilities, the United Nations passed United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions 425 and 426, activating the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). As part of its contribution to UN forces, the Republic of Korea sent the Dongmyeong Unit as a rotational force to Lebanon in July 2007. The Dongmyeong Unit consisted of 300 people, including one battalion of Korean Special Forces and specialist troops filling various roles including engineering, communications, transport, maintenance and medical support.

Dongmyeong Unit
Hangul
동명부대
Hanja
東明部隊
Revised RomanizationDongmyeong Budae
McCune–ReischauerTongmyŏng Pudae
Dongmyeong Unit banner
Dongmyeong Unit logo

The Dongmyeong Unit is the fifth Peace Keeping Operation (PKO) mission of the Republic of Korea and the second combat unit raised after the Sangnoksu Unit.[2]

Activation

UNIFIL has been working to mediate a resolution to the Lebanese Civil War and the conflict with Israel since 1978. In 2006, renewed armed clashes between Israel and Hezbollah caused over 1000 civilian casualties. To resolve the conflict, the United Nations (UN) adopted UNSC resolution 1701, requesting member nations to send up to 15,000 troops as part of UNIFIL. The South Korean government passed the agenda in a cabinet meeting in November 2006 and it was agreed to by the assembly in December. Consequently, the first rotation of the Dongmyeong Unit in Lebanon with 350 soldiers was deployed on 18 June 2007. On 26 July 2016, the eighteenth rotation was sent to Lebanon. The Dongmyeong Unit has been carrying out its duties since the dispatch.[3][4][5]

Unit Period Commander
1st 2007.07.18–2008.01.15 Colonel Kim Woong-geon
2nd 2008.01.15–2008.07.18 Colonel Kang Chan-ok
3rd 2008.07.18–2009.01.21 Lieutenant Colonel Lim Dae-sub
4th 2009.01.21–2009-07.27 Lieutenant Colonel Lee Myung-ha
5th 2009.07.27–2010.01.21 Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jong-chan
6th 2010.01.21–2010.07.22 Lieutenant Colonel Kang Jeong-deok
7th 2010.07.22–2011.01.27 Lieutenant Colonel Kim Hee-jun
8th 2011.01.27–2011.07.21 Lieutenant Colonel Park Gyeong-sik
9th 2011.07.21–2012.01.19 Lieutenant Colonel Lee Yoon-hoe
10th 2012.01.19–2012.07.19 Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jae-kyu
11th 2012.07.19–2013.01.17 Lieutenant Colonel Ha Jong-Shik
12th 2013.01.17–2013.07.19 Lieutenant Colonel Moon Byeong-kwon
13th 2013.07.19–2014.01.10 Lieutenant Colonel Kim Si-beom
14th 2014.01.10–2014.07.25 Lieutenant Colonel Choi Moon-kyu
15th 2014.07.25–2015.01.14 Colonel Ham Nam-kyu
16th 2015.01.14–2015.12.05 Colonel Lee Yoon-seok
17th 2015.12.05–2016.07.26 Colonel Kim Sang-sik
18th 2016.07.26– Colonel Yang Jeon-sub

Missions
The Members of Unit Dongmyeong are marching after receiving a UN peace medal at the UN peace parade.

Unit tasks include surveillance reconnaissance operations monitoring any influx of armed forces or illegal weapons, collaborative operations with citizens for establishing a friendly operations environment, support for Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), supporting systems, and maintaining personnel or battalion protective posture. The Dongmyeong Unit falls under the western brigade of UNIFIL, and is responsible for the Tyre region. The battalion conducts a surveillance watch of the area eight times a day to successfully execute numerous operations without incident.[6]

Organization
  • Commander: The commander of the Dongmyeong Unit is an officer holding the rank of either colonel or lieutenant Colonel. The leader of the eighteenth rotation, Yang Jeon-sub, took over as commander of the unit on July 26, 2016.[7]
  • Operational forces: These forces are the Dongmyeong Unit's principle combat element and are primarily composed of Korean Special Forces units. They conduct fixed surveillance patrols, allied patrol, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) reconnaissance, rapid response, staging and civil action.
  • Operational support forces: These forces support operational actions by providing Combat Service Support (CSS). They are composed of an engineer company, an armored platoon that operates an armoured (TM-170) car, a surveillance section and an EOD section for explosive ordnance disposal.[8]
  • Forces under direct control: These forces are divided into three categories: medical, military police and counter-terrorism. The Medical Force provides medical support to soldiers, local residents and livestock. The Military Police Force is responsible for the discipline and security of the troops. The Counter-terrorism Team conducts counter-terrorism and security support missions.[9]

Symbols
Flag of Dongmyeong Unit , The Dongmyeong Unit flag is visible with a taegukki.

The name of the Dongmyeong Unit (Hanja: 東明, 'the light from the east') has a symbolic meaning of "a peaceful light for Lebanon from the East."[10] The symbol of the unit consists of a Taegeuk mark and an evergreen hill as a background. The green background symbolizes green pastures and represents hope and peace. A Taegeuk mark located in middle represents peace and safety, while the Blue Hill stands for South Korea's humanitarian aid and relief activities. The slogan of the Dongmyeong Unit is 'complication of any mission as a whole!'.

Major operations

The Dongmyeong Unit holds the longest record for dispatch duration among all South Korean UN Peacekeeping Forces. Although initially a poor country that required international aid in the 1950s, South Korea has developed a strong economy and now actively seeks to provide support to countries in need of help.[11]

The Dongmyeong unit 's medical care support, Dongmyeong Unit support their medical care for civilians.

The Dongmyeong Unit conducts a diverse range of operations. In addition to its security role, it also seeks to engage citizens in Lebanon by establishing various classes near their unit post for learning computer skills, sewing, and Taekwondo. The Dongmyeong Unit also actively supports medical care for civilians by touring five villages a week. Having treated approximately 81,816 people in Lebanon, locals call the Unit a 'Gift from God' and 'Familiar Neighbor'.[12][13]

Accomplishment and evaluation

The Dongmyeong Unit had conducted 30,576 reconnaissance operations as of December 2016. They identified 13 vehicles that were suspected to be used in a terror operation. They have conducted 81,816 medical missions. Dongmyeong Unit were involved in the welfare of Lebanon as well as providing military aid. The Unit conducted 215 civic welfare projects, such as improvements of public facilities (K-Road), school facilities and sewerage facilities. They delivered computer training to the local population, along with lesson in Hangul and Taekwondo, sewing. They established libraries (K-Library) in five villages for children and teenagers.[14]

Dongmyeong Unit received excellent reviews in operational performance. Recently, they received an "excellent" rating on combined training (COMBINE-X) which was operated by the western brigade of UNIFIL.[15]

Recognition

On December 3, 2014, 316 soldiers of fifteenth rotation of Dongmyeong received the United Nations Medal. With the presentation, the forces were noted as not only being the longest dispatched Korean peacekeeping troops, but also recorded as the most frequent recipients of the UN Medal. Dongmyeong soldiers have received a total of 5,091 medals over the seven-year deployment.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who visited the Dongmyeong Unit on January 17, 2009, said, "It is greatly contributing that your efforts and devotions for peacekeeping of Lebanon which enhance not only peace of the world but status of Republic of Korea. Tahsin Mubarak ali, the principal of the local school, said, "The generous support of the Dongmyeong Unit has restored laughter to the children who were socially and psychologically depressed. I thanks for setting up a place where kids can play freely." As recognition of their achievement, Dongmyeong Unit was evaluated as "Supreme Forces" among 39 nation's forces in Lebanon. They conferred an honorary citizenship for the first time among the Foreign Armies.

References
  1. O Se-jung (21 July 2016). "장준규 육참총장, 레바논·UAE에 있는 동명·아크 부대 방문한다!". MoneyToday.
  2. 전 (Jeon), 종선 (Jongseon) (2016-10-01). "'다큐공감' 레바논 동명부대, 진정한 태양의 후예를 만나다 2016. 10. 01" [Dongmyeong Unit, meet the descendant of the Sun]. sedaily (in Korean).
  3. 김 (Kim), 훈기 (Hunki) (2014-07-25). "동명부대 15진 환송식2014. 7. 25" [farewell ceremonies of 15th Unit Dongmyeong]. newsis (in Korean).
  4. 이 (Lee), 영선 (Yeongseon) (2014-07-07). "동명부대 15진 임무수행'스타트'2014. 7. 7 / 국방일보" [Starting of their mission, Dongmyeong Unit]. Kookbang (in Korean).
  5. 최 (Choi), 태용 (Taeyong) (2014-07-04). "레바논 파병 15진 편성식 2014. 7. 4 / 뉴시스" [farewell Starting ceremony of 15th Unit of Dongmyeong]. newsis (in Korean).
  6. 안(Ahn), 두원 (Doowon) (2016-06-09). "해외파병부대 어디서 어떤 임무하고 있나 2016. 06. 09" [Where and what the Overseas Deployment Of ROKA is doing now?]. MK (in Korean).
  7. 우 (Woo), 한솔(Hansol) (2016-07-25). "레바논 파병 동명부대 18진 환송식…치과군의관 첫 포함 2016. 7. 26" [farewell ceremonies of 18th Unit Dongmyeong containing the first army surgeon]. news.kbs (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2016-12-20.
  8. 윤 (Yoon), 태현 (Taehyeon) (2016-07-26). "'동명부대 파이팅' 2016. 07. 26" [Go For It, Dongmyeong]. yonhapnews (in Korean). Yonhap.
  9. 이 (Lee), 석종(Sukjong) (2014-08-11). "레바논 동명부대 지휘관 이·취임식2014. 08. 11" [Inauguration of Commander Dongmyeong Unit]. kookbang (in Korean).
  10. 김 (Kim), 철환(ChulHwan) (2014-11-11). ""동명부대, 역시 동방의 등불"" [Expectably, the light of the east. Dongmyeong!]. kookbang (in Korean).
  11. 김 (Kim), 철환(ChulHwan) (2014-09-18). "세계평화의 날에 느끼는 대한민국 국격" [We experience the national status of Korea when the world peace day]. kookbang (in Korean).
  12. "동명부대, 한글 알리기에 앞장서다(2014. 10. 13 / 아미누리)" [Unit Dongmyeong lead the notifying of Korean]. armynuri (in Korean). 2014-10-13.
  13. 이 (Lee), 승복(Seungbok) (2014-10-10). "한글문화 세계에 알리노니..." [ROKA, let all the world know about culture of Korea (Hangul)]. kookbang (in Korean).
  14. "대한민국 국방부(Ministry of National Defense of Republic of Korea)" [ROKA, The ROK army in the world]. Ministry of National Defense (in Korean).
  15. 김 (Kim), 철환(ChulHwan) (2016-11-03). "테러 등 유사시 대처 능력 레바논 동명부대 'Excellent' 국방일보 2016. 11. 03" [Dongmyeong Unit received grade 'Excellent' in the Ability of terrorism management]. kookbang (in Korean).
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