Germany joins US-led UN Command in South Korea policing armistice border.

Germany joined the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC) in South Korea on Friday, becoming the 18th nation in a group that helps police the heavily fortified border with North Korea and has committed to defend the South in the event of a war.

The move is evidence of Berlin's strong belief that European security is closely linked to security in the Indo-Pacific region, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told a ceremony at the main U.S. military headquarters in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul.

"I'm convinced that especially in times like these, when the world is shaped by crises and wars, we need to show unity, we need to stand firm against those who want to undermine peace and stability, against those who attack our common order," he said.

It is the latest move by the United States and its partners to expand alliances and partnerships, including those that span the globe, and try to turn the 74-year-old command into a source of broader regional security.

Current UNC members, among them Australia, Britain, Turkey and the United States, sent troops or contributed medical support during the 1950-53 Korean War.

Established in 1950, the UNC was mandated to restore peace and enforce the armistice while serving as a channel of communication with North Korea.
It is led by the commander of the U.S. military stationed in South Korea and is not affiliated with the United Nations. Germany is the first country to join the command since Italy was reinstated in 2013.

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