Rt Hon Winston Peters
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hon Ron Mark
Minister of Defence

New Zealand will deploy additional personnel to the Republic of Korea (ROK), increasing the size of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) deployment there from six to nine personnel, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Ron Mark announced today.

The three new personnel will arrive in the ROK in late August-September, and will undertake COVID-19 quarantine requirements upon arrival.

“Deciding to increase the size of our deployment to the ROK reflects the importance that New Zealand places on supporting the maintenance of peace, stability and the international rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region, and on the Korean Peninsula in particular,” said Mr Peters.

The three new personnel will take on existing roles within the United Nations Command Headquarters and the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC), where they will work alongside personnel from the ROK, the US, Australia, Canada, and other United Nations Sending State partners.

“New Zealand deployments to the Korean Peninsula are longstanding, with consistent contributions to UNCMAC since 1998,” said Mr Peters.

“Through this deployment of nine NZDF personnel, New Zealand makes a small but tangible contribution to supporting security and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” said Mr Mark.

“Our Defence Force personnel help to administer the terms of the Korean Armistice Agreement through conducting inspections, education programmes and providing UNCMAC support in the Demilitarised Zone between North and South Korea.”

The mandate for the NZDF deployment to the ROK currently runs to August 2021.

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