Lee indicates role in eradicating Somali pirates

By Yoo Cheong-mo

SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday called for an international military coalition to sweep pirates from the seas off Somalia.

"The South Korean Navy should now play a greater role in the global fight against
terrorism and piracy," Lee said while attending an international fleet review in
Busan.
"In compliance with the nation's enhanced international status, the Korean Navy
should further reinforce its role in international efforts to remove common
threats to the world. The government will extend its full support to beefing up
the power of the Korean military."
Lee made the remark in Busan after exchanging views with Navy generals and
political leaders on ways to eradicate Somali pirates.
South Korea's foreign minister, Yu Myung-hwan, told lawmakers earlier on Tuesday
that the government is considering dispatching Navy ships to the area.
Pirates seized eight South Korean crew and 13 Burmese sailors aboard a 15,000-ton
South Korean freighter on Sept. 10. Somali waters in Eastern Africa are notorious
for piracy, with more than 25 kidnapping cases reported there last year alone.
A South Korean tuna ship with 25 crew was hijacked by Somali pirates in April
2006. The ship and its crew were released after four months of captivity. In
2007, two South Korean fishing vessels were again seized, with the crew held for
six months before being released.