In May, the Daejoyoung is expected to join the South Korean naval group in the Gulf of Aden deployed there since 2009 as part of global anti-piracy fight off the Somalian coast.
Somalia has been plagued by civil war since 1991. Years of lawlessness and corruption have provided pirates with ample opportunities to hijack international ships for ransom with relative impunity.
In 2008, the European Union, along with a number of non-EU members states, launched the anti-piracy operation "Atalanta." The ships of the participating countries have been patrolling shipping routes off the shores of the Horn of Africa since December 2008. In November, the Council of the European Union extended the mandate of the operation until December 2018.
Never miss a story again — sign up to our Telegram channel and we'll keep you up to speed!
