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Are Somali pirates specifically targeting Korean ships?

Posted January. 17, 2011 09:55,   

한국어

Nine Korean freighters have been hijacked by Somali pirates since 2006, the latest being the Samho Jewelry Saturday, sparking fears that such pirates consider Korean ships easy prey.

Saturday’s hijacking occurred about two months after the crew of the Korean oil tanker Samho Dream were released on Nov. 7 last year after more than seven months of captivity. On Oct. 9, a Korean freighter with two Korean crew members on board was hijacked by Somali pirates in waters off Kenya, and both the ship and crew remain captive.

The Korean Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Ministry said Sunday that Somali pirates hijacked 42 vessels in 2008, 47 in 2009 and 62 last year. Among them, five of the instances involved Korean nationals taken hostage.

The Bright Ruby, with eight Korean crew members aboard, was hijacked off the Somali coast in September 2008 and released 37 days later. In November the same year, a Japanese freighter with 23 crew members on board, including five Korean nationals, was captured by pirates off the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea. They were held hostage for 88 days.

In April 2006, the Korean fishing boat Dongwon was hijacked by an armed group off the Somali coast. In May 2007, two fishing boats with Korean crew members were also hijacked.

The number of hijacked Korean ships and hostages has increased sharply over the years, with the captivity periods getting longer and ransom amounts higher. So Somali pirates who learned that the hijackers of the Samho Dream received 9 million U.S. dollars in ransom are apparently targeting Korean vessels.

Pressure on the Korean government is rising to take stronger action against Somali pirates. Though the Korean Navy is patrolling waters off Somalia, Korean ships sail through the waters more than 500 times a year, so protecting all of them is impossible.

Korean ministries have been discussing preventive measures since the second half of last year, including requiring all Korean ships to have security officers and install safety havens on board for crew members.



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