By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

The government dispatched an on-site inspection team Friday to Sudan's Darfur region to prepare for the possible deployment of peacekeeping troops there, an official of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said.

The team, involving officials of the MND, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will conduct a week-long inspection of the security conditions for South Korea's possible contribution to international efforts to maintain peace in the region, the official said on condition of anonymity.

``The team will meet with officials of the Sudanese government and the U.N.-African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) to discuss South Korean troops' presence in the region,'' the official told reporters.

``Nothing has been decided yet. The government will make a decision on the troop deployment on the basis of the results of the on-site inspection,'' he added.

Since the ethnic conflict broke out in 2003, at least 200,000 civilians have died and 2.2 million fled their homes, according to reports. The Sudanese government said 9,000 people have been killed.

The conflict began when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated regime and state-backed Arab militias, fighting for resources and power in one of the most deprived places on earth.

Early this year, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requested Seoul to dispatch peacekeeping forces, along with transport aircraft, to the embattled region.

President Lee Myung-bak has pledged efforts to increase South Korea's international peacekeeping missions to match the nation's economic status in the global community.

Seoul is the world's 10th largest donor to the U.N. but its troop contribution for U.N. peacekeeping operations remains 36th.

Currently, about 400 South Korean peacekeeping troops are taking part in U.N. PKO efforts in eight countries, including the 350-strong Dongmyeong unit stationed in Lebanon.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr