From Vietnam to Gulf of Aden: History of Korea's overseas military deployments

Korea’s overseas military deployments expanded from combat operations in Vietnam to peacekeeping, reconstruction and maritime security missions across several regions. Korea sent medical personnel and taekwondo instructors to Vietnam in 1964, followed by combat troops in 1965, with approximately 310,000 personnel serving over a decade. After joining the U.N. in 1991, Korea began peacekeeping deployments, and it currently maintains four overseas military units. The Dongmyeong Unit is preparing to withdraw from Lebanon by the end of 2026 after nearly two decades.

Korea’s National Assembly approved the dispatch of 154 medical personnel and a 150-member Air Force transport unit with five transport aircraft during the Gulf War.

The Evergreen Unit became Korea’s first U.N. peacekeeping deployment when it was sent to Somalia in 1993.

The Cheonghae Unit began operating in the Gulf of Aden in March 2009 with the destroyer Munmu the Great and later rescued the crew of the hijacked Samho Jewelry in 2011.

The Akh Unit was deployed to the UAE in 2011 at the UAE government’s request to strengthen military training and modernize its defense system.

The Hanbit Unit was dispatched to South Sudan on March 31, 2013, to support peacekeeping, reconstruction and infrastructure improvement.

Published Oct 16, 2026 6:06 pm KST

Updated Oct 16, 2026 6:21 pm KST

UDT personnel from Korea's Akh Unit and UAE troops conduct an exercise in this 2024 photo. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff

Korea’s overseas military deployments have evolved over six decades, from combat operations during the Vietnam War to a broader range of missions focused on peacekeeping, reconstruction and maritime security.

The country's history of overseas military deployments dates back to 1964, when it first dispatched medical personnel and taekwondo instructors to Vietnam, followed by combat troops in 1965. The deployment was one of the largest in the country's history, with approximately 310,000 military personnel having served in Vietnam over a decade.

The lasting repercussions of the Vietnam War led to a prolonged decline in overseas military deployments until 1991 during the Gulf War, which broke out following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. As a multinational coalition was formed under U.N. resolutions, Korea's National Assembly approved the dispatch of noncombat personnel: 154 medical personnel and 150-member Air Force transport unit equipped with five transport aircraft.

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Following its accession to the U.N. in 1991, Korea began participating in U.N. peacekeeping operations, starting with the deployment of the Evergreen Unit to Somalia in 1993, two years after joining the international organization. Since then, Korean troops have increasingly undertaken noncombat missions, including engineering, medical assistance and reconstruction support.

During the early 2000s, Korea dispatched troops to Afghanistan and Iraq, primarily carrying out reconstruction and security missions.

Korea currently has four military units deployed overseas.

The Dongmyeong Unit — meaning "bright light from the East" in Korean — was first deployed to Lebanon in July 2007 under a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted following escalating clashes between Israel and militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in 2006. With the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) set to expire this year, the unit is preparing to withdraw by the end of 2026, bringing nearly two decades of deployment to a close. The Cheonghae Unit began its mission in March 2009 with the deployment of the destroyer Munmu the Great to the Gulf of Aden. Over the past 17 years, the unit has escorted vessels and supported safe passage in the region. One of its most notable achievements was the 2011 Operation Dawn of the Gulf of Aden, during which Korean naval commandos rescued the crew of Samho Jewelry, a cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates, without losing a single hostage.

The Akh Unit was deployed to the UAE in 2011, following a request from the UAE government in August 2010, as it sought to enhance its military training capabilities and modernize its defense system by drawing on the experience and expertise of the Korean military.

Lastly, the Hanbit Unit was dispatched to South Sudan on March 31, 2013, following a U.N. request for international support to help stabilize and rebuild the newly independent nation as it formally seceded from Sudan in 2011. Since its deployment, the unit has carried out peacekeeping and reconstruction missions, helping improve infrastructure and support stability in the country.

韩国的海外军事部署范围从越南的作战行动扩展到多个地区的维和、重建和海上安全任务。1964年，韩国向越南派遣了医疗人员和跆拳道教练，随后于1965年派遣了作战部队，在长达十年的时间里，约有31万名人员在越南服役。1991年加入联合国后，韩国开始参与维和行动，目前在海外驻扎着四个军事单位。驻扎在黎巴嫩近二十年的东明部队正准备于2026年底前撤离。

海湾战争期间，韩国国会批准向韩国派遣 154 名医务人员和一支由 150 名成员组成的空军运输部队，配备 5 架运输机。

1993年，韩国常青部队被派往索马里，成为韩国首次参与联合国维和行动的部队。

清海部队于 2009 年 3 月开始在亚丁湾执行任务，当时他们使用驱逐舰“文武大帝”号进行救援。后来，在 2011 年，他们成功营救了被劫持的“三湖珠宝”号的船员。

2011年，应阿联酋政府的要求，阿赫部队被部署到阿联酋，以加强军事训练并实现国防系统的现代化。

2013年3月31日，汉比特部队被派往南苏丹，以支持维和、重建和基础设施改善工作。

发布于2026年10月16日 下午6:06（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月16日韩国时间下午6:21

这张摄于2024年的照片显示，韩国阿赫部队的水下爆破队人员和阿联酋部队正在进行演习。照片由韩国联合参谋本部提供。

六十多年来，韩国的海外军事部署已经发生了演变，从越南战争期间的作战行动发展到以维和、重建和海上安全为重点的更广泛的任务。

该国海外军事部署的历史可以追溯到 1964 年，当时它首次向越南派遣了医务人员和跆拳道教练，随后在 1965 年派遣了作战部队。这次部署是该国历史上规模最大的部署之一，在十年间约有 31 万名军人在越南服役。

越南战争的深远影响导致海外军事部署长期减少，直到1991年海湾战争爆发。这场战争是在伊拉克入侵科威特后爆发的。随着联合国决议促成多国联军的组建，韩国国会批准派遣非战斗人员：154名医务人员和一支由150名成员组成的空军运输部队，该部队配备5架运输机。

首尔方面考虑将清海部队的行动范围扩大至霍尔木兹海峡。

韩国于1991年加入联合国后，开始参与联合国维和行动，最早于1993年向索马里派遣了“常青部队”，此时距离其加入联合国仅两年。此后，韩国军队越来越多地承担非战斗任务，包括工程建设、医疗援助和重建支持。

2000 年代初期，韩国向阿富汗和伊拉克派遣军队，主要执行重建和安全任务。

韩国目前有四个军事单位部署在海外。

东明部队（韩语意为“来自东方的明亮之光”）于2007年7月首次部署至黎巴嫩，依据的是联合国安理会于2006年通过的一项决议，该决议旨在应对以色列与黎巴嫩南部真主党武装组织之间不断升级的冲突。随着联合国驻黎巴嫩临时部队（联黎部队）的任务期限将于今年到期，该部队正准备在2026年底前撤离，结束其近二十年的部署。清海部队于2009年3月开始执行任务，当时驱逐舰“文武大帝”号被部署至亚丁湾。在过去的17年中，该部队为该地区的船只提供护航和安全航行保障。其最显著的成就之一是2011年的“亚丁湾黎明行动”，在行动中，韩国海军突击队员成功解救了被索马里海盗劫持的“三湖珠宝”号货船的船员，且无一人伤亡。

2011年，应阿联酋政府2010年8月的请求，韩国向阿联酋派遣了阿赫部队。阿联酋政府希望通过借鉴韩国军队的经验和专业知识，提高其军事训练能力并实现国防系统的现代化。

最后，在联合国请求国际社会支持以帮助稳定和重建这个于 2011 年正式脱离苏丹的新独立国家后，汉比特部队于 2013 年 3 月 31 日被派往南苏丹。自部署以来，该部队执行了维和与重建任务，帮助改善基础设施并支持该国的稳定。