S. Korean Navy uniquely equipped to fight Somali pirates: officials

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean Navy plans to tap its expertise in
dealing with close-range threats such as North Korean infiltration boats when it
deploys one of its most advanced warships to Somali waters to stave off pirates,
officials said Friday.

The government passed a motion last month to send a destroyer to Somali waters
where piracy has emerged as an international concern. About 460 South Korean
vessels ply the route each year, according to officials, and the motion is
pending parliamentary approval.
"Our Navy has long developed the expertise to deal with infiltration boats" of
North Korea, Rear Adm. Choi Soo-yong told reporters at the Ministry of National
Defense.
"We're used to close-range combat training and possess necessary weaponry, which
will enable us to effectively deal with pirates," he said.
South Korea's armed forces focus mainly on guarding against North Korea's
1.2-million-strong military. The two sides remain in a technical state of war
after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.
Choi added the Navy has decided to deploy the 2003-built Munmu the Great
destroyer to protect South Korean vessels as part of a U.S.-led multinational
operation against pirates. Another official said the 4,500-ton warship will be
retrofitted to accommodate a multiple number of heavy-artillery guns to fight
immediate threats.
"We train heavily under the assumption that we will fight close-range enemies
because of our proximity to North Korea," the official said, speaking on
customary condition of anonymity.
South and North Korea engaged in bloody naval clashes involving gunboats in 1999
and 2002. The violence near a U.N.-drawn demarcation line in the Yellow Sea left
dozens of casualties on both sides.
Munmu the Great -- named after a seventh century conquerer -- has recently
patrolled the western sea border, stepping up its surveillance as North Korea
warns of another clash.
The indigenously-made destroyer is 150 meters, 17 meters wide and can travel at a
speed of up to 29 knots, according to the defense ministry. It can accommodate a
pair of helicopters while also possessing the capability to launch torpedoes and
anti-air missiles.
Over 110 pirate-related incidents took place in the sea off Somalia last year,
according to the South Korean government, a five-fold jump from two years
earlier.
Pirates are reported to use conventional weapons, such as automatic weapons and
rocket launchers, and capture commercial vessels by clambering aboard them with
ladders and hooks.
South Korean defense officials expect parliamentary approval this month.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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