▲ Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup (L) and Uruguayan Ambassador to Seoul Pablo Scheiner shake hands as they meet for a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony for cooperation in U.N. peacekeeping operations at Lee's office in central Seoul on July 13, 2023, in this photo provided by Seoul's defense ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

S Korea-Uruguay-PKO cooperation

S. Korea, Uruguay sign MOU to cooperate in U.N. peacekeeping operations

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Uruguay have signed a memorandum of understanding to bolster cooperation in U.N. peacekeeping operations, Seoul's defense ministry said Thursday.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup signed the pact designed to allow the two countries to share information and their experience in such operations in a ceremony at his office in central Seoul, attended by Uruguayan Ambassador to Seoul Pablo Scheiner.

Uruguay's Defense Minister Javier Garcia signed the document in May before it was delivered to Lee.

"Through this MOU signing, mutually beneficial cooperation is expected through joint research, education and training, experience sharing, and personnel exchange," the ministry said in a release.

South Korea maintains more than 600 peacekeeping troops in Lebanon, South Sudan and other areas, while Uruguay operates over 1,000 peacekeeping personnel globally, including the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria, according to the ministry.

During the ceremony, Lee voiced hopes to the Uruguayan envoy for "active" cooperation in defense between the two countries in areas such as the arms industry beyond peacekeeping activities.

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