Korea, Republic of
Support for Mine Action
In 2022, the Republic of Korea (South Korea) contributed US$1.6 million to mine action, through the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action (VTF) and ITF Enhancing Human Security.
South Korea is not party to either the Mine Ban Treaty or the Convention on Cluster Munitions, and funding from the country has not been systematically reported.
Contributions by recipient: 2022[1]
|
Recipient |
Sector |
Amount (US$) |
|
Congo, Dem. Rep. |
IED disposal, EOD, risk education, capacity-building |
900,000 |
|
Global (ITF Enhancing Human Security)* |
Various |
390,950 |
|
Burkina Faso |
Capacity-building |
100,000 |
|
Colombia |
Risk education, capacity-building |
100,000 |
|
Nigeria |
Risk education, capacity-building |
100,000 |
|
Total |
- |
1,590,950 |
Note: IED=improvised explosive device; EOD=explosive ordnance disposal.
*South Korea’s contribution to ITF Enhancing Human Security was not disaggregated by amount received per country, but went to Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Lebanon, Palestine, Serbia, and Ukraine.
In 2022, South Korea committed $11 million for a project to support the unexploded ordnance (UXO) sector in Lao PDR from 2022–2026, and another $25 million for a five-year mine action and rural development project in Vietnam. Previously, in 2021, South Korea committed $10 million toward mine clearance and victim assistance activities in Cambodia during the period 2021–2025.[2] The funding for these projects was not disaggregated by year.
Mine action assistance approach
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has determined four pillars for its international assistance: people, peace, prosperity, and planet.
At the Mine Ban Treaty Eighteenth Meeting of States Parties in November 2020, South Korea provided an update on its support to mine action efforts since 1993. It stated that more than $40 million had been provided to activities in more than 25 countries, including through the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), ITF Enhancing Human Security, or bilaterally.[3]
Five-year support to mine action
From 2018–2022, South Korea’s contribution to mine action totaled more than $6.1 million, representing a significant increase on the $3.5 million provided during the previous five-year period from 2013–2017. The amount provided annually over the last five years has varied significantly, from a low of $330,000 in 2021 to a high of almost $2 million in 2018.
Summary of contributions: 2018–2022[4]
|
Year |
Amount (US$) |
% change from previous year |
|
2022 |
1,590,950 |
+382 |
|
2021 |
330,000 |
-40 |
|
2020 |
547,132 |
-68 |
|
2019 |
1,721,683 |
-13 |
|
2018 |
1,970,000 |
+557 |
|
Total |
6,159,765 |
N/A |
Note: N/A=not applicable.
[1] ITF Enhancing Human Security, “Annual Report 2022,” 2023, p. 20; and United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), “Annual Report 2022,” April 2023, p. 119.
[2] United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Cambodia press release, “Korea Commits $10M to Increase Cambodia’s Mine Clearance and Victim Assistance Efforts in 2021 and Beyond,” 15 March 2021; and “Laos, UNDP and KOICA sign USD11 million partnership to support UXO sector in the Lao PDR,” Lao News Agency, 10 May 2022; and UNDP Vietnam press release, “KOICA and central provinces renewed cooperation in mine action and rural development,” 17 March 2022.
[3] Statement of South Korea, Mine Ban Treaty Eighteenth Meeting of States Parties, held virtually, 16–20 November 2020.
[4] See previous Support for Mine Action country profiles. ICBL-CMC, “Country Profiles: South Korea,” undated.