The Participation and Financing Agreements between Korea and NATO concerning the Korean contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan were officially signed by Ambassador to Belgium and the EU Park Joon-woo and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in Brussels, Belgium, on April 13.

The aforementioned agreements are to define the size, tasks and command relations of our forces participating in the ISAF in Afghanistan and to clarify the scope of financial responsibility. With the signing of the agreements, Korea became the 46th country to participate in the ISAF in Afghanistan, which aims to support stabilization and reconstruction operations in Afghanistan.

The agreements provide the legal and institutional basis for our forces, which will be dispatched to Afghanistan from this July to protect our civilian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan, to achieve smooth cooperation with NATO in conducting missions and to enjoy privileges and exemptions in Afghanistan.

As Korea and NATO have continued to expand mutual cooperation based on shared values of contribution to global peace, the signing of the agreements is expected to not only support the smooth operation of our PRT but also further develop the Korea-NATO relationship.