The Evergreen Unit () is an ad hoc, all-volunteer, amalgamated ROK Army unit (usually of battalion strength), composed of various members of the South Korean military (including infantry, combat support elements such as engineers and medics, ROK Special Forces and the ROK Marine Corps.), trained specifically for conducting worldwide security operations and rendering humanitarian assistance during ad hoc overseas deployments and UN
Peacekeeping Operations.
Somalia The South Korean military participated in UN-led
Peacekeeping Operations for the first time ever when it activated and deployed the "Evergreen" unit in the summer of 1993 to Somalia for the purpose of overseas reconstruction and humanitarian work. The
Evergreen unit is an amalgamated
ROK Army battalion-sized engineering unit (named after Korea's ubiquitous perennial conifers), activated for the first time on June 30, 1993 specifically for the Somali
PKO deployment (
United Nations Operation in Somalia II). The battalion-sized element, consisting of 504 men (rotated annually), repaired roads and rendered humanitarian assistance. By the time their mission ended in September 1994, the Evergreen unit deployed some 2,700 men and 1,300 pieces of equipment, successfully linking Balad and Zohar via a rebuilt road, and effectively cooperating with U.S. forces in building another road from Balad to Afgoa.
East Timor On August 30, 1999, a UN-mandated referendum for independence in
East Timor was held, in which 78.5 percent of the electorate opted for independence. However, Indonesia fomented militias who opposed East Timor's independence, causing devastating violence. Accordingly, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to grant installation of the International Forces in East Timor (
INTERFET), and the UN Secretary General together with the government of
Australia officially requested the South Korean government's participation.
Indonesia agreed to the deployment of the multinational forces and actively requested the participation of Asian nations. In response to the international request to maintain security and restore order, the South Korean government authorized the formation of a second Evergreen Unit. With a battalion strength of 419 men—201 from ROK Special Forces with the balance of personnel from transportation, supply, communications, and medical specialties—the Evergreen unit arrived in Lautem, East Timor on 1 October 1999. Upon their arrival, the area was still reeling from post-election violence and 40 per cent of the island's built-up infrastructure—including markets, schools and housing—had been destroyed by rioters. The population of 50,000 had dropped to 20,000 as a result of refugee movement in response to the widespread violence. Shortly thereafter, the 2nd Evergreen Unit formally initiated operations on 22 October 1999 in Lospalos, East Timor. Using its security component, detached from the 5th Special Forces brigade, Special Warfare Command, the Evergreen's area of responsibility covered just 12% of East Timor's land mass. After a six-month deployment that ended on 28 April 2000, the original 419 men of the Korean battalion returned to Korea after conducting a two-week-long, in-theater handover and orientation for their replacements. In February 2002, the battalion was redeployed to the Oecusse-Ambeno enclave to continue peacekeeping operations. In April, 2003, an additional 250-strong element from the 8th ROK BATT, deployed for a six-month peacekeeping mission in Oecusse-Ambeno. In addition to security operations, the unit engaged in public relations and election-related work, including voter registration, and humanitarian assistance. ==Relationship with SOCKOR==