Survey team to visit S. Sudan for peacekeeping mission

Seven Korean officials left for South Sudan Saturday to survey security and other situations in the newly independent African country to help their government decide whether to send peace-keeping troops there.

South Sudan officially declared its independence on July 9 from the Arab-dominated North after decades of civil war that claimed 2 million lives. Soon afterwards, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked Korea to send troops there as part of U.N. peacekeeping forces.

The Seoul government is reportedly studying whether to send army engineers to the African country, though no details were immediately available.

Staying in South Sudan for a week, the South Korean delegation will meet U.N. officials there and assess the security, infrastructure and other situations, according to government officials. (Yonhap)