How did the eight South Korean MD 500 Defender helicopters get to Kenya?

The helicopters were sent to the United States beginning in late 2023 for maintenance and repairs. The United States had pledged to carry out the work and help transport them to Kenya; they arrived there last month and completed flight tests before deployment.

When and where did South Korea pledge helicopters for U.N. peacekeeping in Africa?

South Korea made the pledge during the U.N. peacekeeping ministerial meeting held in Seoul in 2021. The pledge was to support U.N. peacekeeping operations across Africa.

Who attended the ceremony for South Korea’s helicopter donation to Kenya?

About 200 people attended the ceremony at the Kenya Army Corps of Aviation in Nairobi. They included defense officials from South Korea, the United States and Kenya, as well as members of the local diplomatic corps.

S. Korea donates 8 retired military helicopters to Kenya

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Summary

South Korea donated eight overhauled MD 500 Defender helicopters to Kenya at a ceremony in Nairobi on Friday, fulfilling a pledge to support U.N. peacekeeping missions in Africa. The helicopters arrived in Kenya last month after maintenance and repair work in the United States and successful flight tests. The defense ministry said it plans to expand South Korea’s contributions to U.N. peacekeeping missions.

Key Facts

South Korea made the helicopter pledge at a U.N. peacekeeping ministerial meeting in Seoul in 2021.
The United States pledged to maintain the helicopters and help transport them to Kenya.
The eight helicopters were transported to the United States beginning in late 2023 and underwent about two years of maintenance and repair work.
About 200 people attended the donation ceremony, including South Korean, U.S. and Kenyan defense officials and members of the local diplomatic corps.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 23, 2026 8:52 pm KST

This photo, provided by the defense ministry, shows the MD 500 Defenders delivered to Kenya, Friday. Yonhap

South Korea has donated eight decommissioned military helicopters to Kenya after an overhaul, delivering on its pledge to support the U.N. peacekeeping missions in the region, officials said Friday.

A ceremony marking the donation of the eight MD 500 Defenders was held at the Kenya Army Corps of Aviation in Nairobi on Friday (local time), according to the defense ministry.

The move comes as South Korea pledged to provide choppers to the U.N. peacekeeping operations across Africa during the U.N. peacekeeping ministerial meeting held in Seoul in 2021. The United States vowed to conduct maintenance work on the helicopters and help transport them to the East African country.

Since late 2023, eight MD 500 Defenders have been transported to the U.S., where they underwent maintenance and repair work for about two years.

The upgraded choppers arrived in Kenya last month, pending deployment after successfully completing all flight tests, according to officials.

The defense ministry plans to continue to expand its contributions to U.N. peacekeeping missions.

Friday's event was attended by some 200 personnel, including defense officials of South Korea, the U.S. and Kenya, along with local diplomatic corps, among others.

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