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Cheon Seung-hyun, director general of the Military Installations Bureau at the Ministry of National Defense, and Devanand Ramiah, director for Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), sign a Statement of Intent (SOI) to formalize mutual cooperation on mine action at The Grand Lotte Seoul on the afternoon of the 8th. / Ministry of National Defense

The Ministry of National Defense signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to formalize mutual cooperation in the field of mine action.

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 9th, Cheon Seung-hyun, director general of the Military Installations Bureau at the ministry, signed the SOI the previous day with Devanand Ramiah, director for Crisis Readiness, Response, and Recovery, who attended on behalf of the assistant secretary-general and director of the UNDP Crisis Bureau.

While landmine clearance was traditionally carried out as a military operation, the enactment and implementation of the Mine Action Act has driven a major paradigm shift toward public safety and sustainable land recovery. Against this backdrop, the SOI was pursued in response to the growing need for close exchange and cooperation with international bodies such as the United Nations, which spearheads global mine action standards and policies.

The Ministry of National Defense previously designated establishing cooperation frameworks with international organizations as a key policy initiative under the 1st Basic Plan for Mine Action established in July. Since then, it has engaged in working-level consultations to formalize ties with UNDP, an organization that has led mine action programs across contaminated countries worldwide.

Both organizations agreed to exchange knowledge, operational experience, and best practices in mine action while maintaining sustained dialogue on implementation measures. They also explored opportunities to co-host and participate in international workshops, working to ensure that their bilateral partnership serves as a model contribution to global mine action initiatives.

Director General Cheon remarked, "The signing of this SOI with UNDP marks an important milestone in firmly elevating South Korea's mine action into an advanced framework aligned with high international standards." He added, "Building on our close partnership with UNDP, we will thoroughly ensure public safety while elevating our expertise in mine action to world-class levels."

Director Ramiah also stated, "UNDP is very pleased to partner with the Republic of Korea's Ministry of National Defense as a key stakeholder. Mine action is fundamentally about making land safe so communities can return, rebuild their livelihoods, and recover. We look forward to sharing our global experience while learning from the valuable expertise and capabilities that South Korea has developed."

                                                                                                              Lee Han-sol