United Nations Peace Keeping Operations (UN PKOs) are thought to be relatively free from the influence of state interests, instead being motivated by humanitarian concerns and a desire for peace and security. When we compare UN PKOs with International...
United Nations Peace Keeping Operations (UN PKOs) are thought to be relatively free from the influence of state interests, instead being motivated by humanitarian concerns and a desire for peace and security. When we compare UN PKOs with International Peacekeeping Forces (IPF) or Multi National Forces (MNF), UN PKOs are expected to be more neutral due to the increased possibility of the influence of state interest in IPF and MNF activity.
If the motives for participation in UN PKOs are as neutral as we suppose the operations themselves to be, neoliberalism or constructivism would seem to be the theories that could best explain why nations choose to participate. Since joining the UN in 1991, Korea has participated in five UN PKOs.
In this paper, the motivation for Korean participation in UN PKOs in Somalia, Western Sahara, Angola, East Timor, and Lebanon is examined through the use of realism/neorealism, neoliberalism, and constructivism in order to explain what Korea’s real purposes were and what inspired Korea to send troops in each case. At the close of this inquiry, realism seems to be most suitable theory to explain the motives for Korea’s participation in these UN PKOs.