Special forces cast early votes from the field
South Korean special troops deployed overseas are casting early ballots this week in the lead-up to the country's June 3 presidential election according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the country's top military command responsible for overseeing all armed forces operations.
The overseas voting period, which runs from May 20 to 25, is being conducted at military bases and diplomatic missions to ensure service members can participate despite being stationed abroad.
Among the participating units is the Hanbit Unit in South Sudan, which voted on Thursday. Stationed in Bor since 2011 as part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission, the unit is primarily composed of engineers and medics who support local infrastructure, flood prevention and vocational education.
The Hanbit Unit also gained public attention recently for its portrayal in the Netflix original series "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call," where a fictional shootout in the deployment zone results in a company commander's injury. The drama stands out for explicitly naming both the Hanbit Unit and South Sudan, unlike most Korean media which avoid such specificity.
In Lebanon, the Dongmyeong Unit is set to vote on Saturday. Deployed in Tyre since 2007 under the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, the 300-member unit conducts security patrols and provides humanitarian aid, including mobile medical services that have reached over 80,000 local civilians.
The Akh Unit, based in the United Arab Emirates as part of a military cooperation agreement, voted earlier this week on May 20 and 21 at the South Korean Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Since 2011, the unit has been training UAE special forces and is tasked with protecting South Korean nationals in the region during emergencies.
The Cheonghae Unit, South Korea's naval task force operating in the Gulf of Aden, is voting on May 24 and 25. Known internationally for its counter-piracy missions and high-profile rescue operations, the unit has been active since 2009 and is stationed aboard Republic of Korea Navy vessels off the Somali coast. Republic of Korea is South Korea's official name.
mjh@heraldcorp.com
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