South Korea has decided to host a major UN peacekeeping conference via video link next week, instead of an originally planned face-to-face session, due to concerns over the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant, according to Seoul officials Wednesday.

The 2021 Seoul UN Peacekeeping Ministerial will be held in the form of a "full-fledged online conference" on Dec. 7-8 as scheduled, a foreign ministry official told reporters.

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and Defense Minister Suh Wook will co-chair the event, with the UN peacekeeping chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and two other senior UN officials present in person, the official said.

"The UN office expressed its support for our government's decision (over the conference) considering the current virus situation, while communicating with related nations," the official said. (Yonhap)