S. Korea to deploy next rotation of Hanbit unit in South Sudan

SEOUL, A contingent of South Korean soldiers will leave for South Sudan later this month as part of a regular rotation of troops conducting peacekeeping operations there, military officials said Tuesday.A send-off ceremony for the 18th rotation of the Hanbit unit took place in Incheon, just west of Seoul, to replace the existing contingent operating under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, according to the officials.South Korea first deployed the Hanbit unit in 2013 to help maintain peace and assist in recovery efforts in the East African country, which has been rocked by a civil war.The latest rotation of some 270 troops will depart South Korea on Sunday and on April 14 in phases for an eight-month mission.In South Sudan, the troops will take part in reconstruction efforts, such as repairing social infrastructure, and operate a vocational school.Source: Yonhap News Agency