S. Korea Ship Counter-piracy Measures Introduced

A law revision requires South Korean ships to build safe areas (citadels) against pirate attacks.

The recently passed revision, passed in the National Assembly on Nov. 22, 2012, obliges the construction of a so-called "citadel" inside ships that have to sail through international waters reports the Yonhap News Agency.

When the revision will go into effect is not yet known, but it is expected to come into force soon.

Previously there had been no related laws requiring owners to provide such safe areas, crew members have been left vulnerable to pirate attacks.

There have been a total of nine cases where South Korean sailors were kidnapped in waters off Somalia since 2006. Six of the cases involved Korean ships, while two were Japanese and one was Singaporean.

A source in the South Korean government informed Yonhap that it also plans to make it mandatory for security guards to be aboard ships sailing through dangerous areas.

Source: Yonhap News Agency