Seoul to host int`l forum on Somali piracy next week

By Tony Chang
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Some 100 anti-terror experts will gather in Seoul next
week to discuss how to deal with the unabating threats posed by pirates in Somali
waters, the South Korean government said Monday.
The two-day international forum, called the "Seoul High-Level Meeting on Piracy
off the Coast of Somalia," will start June 9, serving as a forum for anti-terror
experts from over 30 countries and representatives from some 10 international
agencies to share information.
The meeting will be co-hosted by South Korea, Japan and the International
Maritime Organization.
A number of countries, including South Korea, Britain, France, Germany, Saudi
Arabia and Russia, have joined the anti-piracy campaign surrounding the Gulf of
Aden.
Somalia has not had a functional government since its dictator was overthrown by
warlords in 1991. Poverty has driven a large number of locals to piracy, while
black market sales of weapons run rampant.
Approximately 500 South Korean ships ply the route each year, according to the
South Korean defense ministry, which estimates about 150 are vulnerable to pirate
attacks because of their low speed.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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