(EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Jan. 21)

More for Haiti

The scope of the Haiti disaster may prove to be greater than the 2004 tsunami,
which killed nearly 230,000 people in 14 countries. Reports say the death toll is
now roughly 200,000 and that it is difficult to estimate how many more are buried
in the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Worse still, emergency aid is not reaching survivors speedily, though they are in
desperate need of food, shelter and medical treatment. As Ban Ki-moon, U.N.
secretary-general, observes, "help cannot come soon enough" to the millions of
people who have lost everything in the earthquake. The rising level of
lawlessness is a cause of concern in this regard.
The Haitian government appears to have lost control as looters go on the rampage
in the streets. Moreover, thousands of criminals have fled from damaged Haiti
jails. Against this backdrop, the U.N. Security Council has approved the dispatch
of an additional 3,500 peacekeepers to help restore order in a country, where
9,000 U.N. peacekeeping forces are already stationed.
The Korean government, which is reportedly considering sending troops to Haiti as
part of the additional peacekeepers, will do well to join in the U.N. effort.
Undoubtedly, the sooner it is, the better it will be.
In fact, the enactment of a law on peacekeeping operations last year makes it
possible for the government to conclude a tentative agreement, pending approval
from the legislature, with the United Nations on the dispatch of Korean troops as
U.N. peacekeepers. As such, it will be possible to send troops in three to four
months, instead the usual six to seven months.
In addition, the Korean government, which has raised its commitment to aid from
the initial $1 million to $10 million, will do well to launch a fundraising
campaign as soon as possible, with part of the aid set to come from the private
sector.
(END)