The Cabinet approved on Sept. 14 the proposal to extend the deployment of Dongmyeong and Danbi units in Lebanon and quake-ravaged Haiti, respectively, and Cheonghae Unit by the end of next year.
Dongmyeong and Danbi units are deployed to Lebanon and Haiti as members of the United Nations peace-keeping operations forces. Cheonghae Unit is a Naval unit dispatched to the Gulf of Aden near Somali waters for counter-piracy missions.
The Korean government held a cabinet meeting which the President Lee Myung-bak presided over. Cabinet members reviewed a motion to extend the period of deployment of three overseas units and approved it. The motion was proposed by the Ministries of National Defense and Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The deployment period of those three units are due to expire by the end of this year. The motion states that three units will be dispatched for another one year. If the motion is approved by the National Assembly, units are going to serve by the end of next year.
In addition, the cabinet meeting approved a motion to grant medals to 53 people of national merit in seven different categories. Those included are Seok Hae-kyun, the captain of the Samho Jewelry who was shot by Somali pirates while trying to save hijacked ship and crew on Jan. 21 this year, and Kathleen Stephens, an outgoing U.S. ambassador to Korea.