The government has decided to establish new diplomatic missions next year in Botswana and Georgia as well as ten other countries.

The foreign ministry announced the plan on Tuesday, saying that the new missions will be set up in the two nations as well as Luxembourg, Lithuania, the Marshall Islands, Suriname, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Armenia, Estonia, Jamaica and Zambia.

While a rate of two missions opened per year is the average standard, the push for 12 in one year is a first, with the ministry explaining that the nation is seeking to demonstrate its international leadership and strengthen its diplomacy as a global pivotal country.

The ministry said the new missions will improve the ability to provide consular services and protect the rights and interests of South Korean nationals and companies in those countries, where inconveniences have arisen due to a lack of diplomatic missions.

The ministry will reportedly set up a related task force to prepare with the goal of starting operations at the missions in the second half of next year.