Peacekeeping and Counterpiracy: A Comparative Analysis of South Korea`s Contributions to International Peace and Stability

As the international security environment grows increasingly complex, the need for multilateral solutions grows. Two such efforts are United Nations peacekeeping and counterpiracy operations off the coast of Somalia. Over the years many states have contributed police, observers, military personnel, ships, and other assets to support these multinational efforts. Since 2009 Seoul has sent a destroyer and a team of Navy SEALS to the counterpiracy operations near Somalia. In this study I contrast South Korea`s contributions to UN peacekeeping and maritime security with those of Australia, China, and Japan.