By Kim Rahn
The successful rescue operation of sailors on the freighter Samho Jewelry who were held hostage by Somali pirates has not been good news to some. For the families of crewmembers on the Geummi 305, a trawler held captive by pirates since October, concerns are growing over the seamen’s safety, as pirates there pledge retaliation against South Koreans.
Citizens are also calling for government action to bring the sailors of the Geummi 305 back home.
After the Korean Navy rescued all of 21 crewmembers of the hijacked Samho Jewelry, Somali pirates told Reuters Sunday that they would kill any Koreans they take hostage in future in retaliation for the killing of eight pirates during the operation. Korean troops also captured another five pirates alive.
The threat has brought concerns over the safety of the Geummi 305 sailors, whose family initially expected the military action would be seen as a threat to the pirates and make them free the crewmembers.
The fishing vessel was hijacked last October by Somali pirates in the Kenyan Sea. Two Korean sailors including the captain Kim Dae-geun, two Chinese and 39 Kenyans were onboard.
The shipping company and the pirates have held negotiations, with the latter currently demanding $600,000 in ransom.
It is reported that the pirates are using the trawler as a mother ship for their illegal activities.
As the government showed its firm stance to end the vicious cycle of paying off Somali pirates, the release of Geummi 305 is unlikely to proceed smoothly. Concerns are that pirates may hurt the hostages to hold a dominant position in negotiations.
Pirates there also pledged direct revenge for the death of their members. “We shall never take a ransom from Korean ships, we shall burn them and kill their crew. We shall redouble our efforts. Korea has put itself in trouble by killing my colleagues,” a pirate was quoted as saying by Reuters.
The wife of captain Kim told a local newspaper that it is disappointing that the government doesn’t seem to care about the Geummi 305, not giving any information on the situation to the families. “If the government can’t launch a military operation, it should have a professional negotiator help the shipping firm. I worry that my husband, who is diabetic, may be in failing health due to the long internment,” she said.
On portal site Daum, nearly 3,000 Internet users have signed a petition to call for government action to free the captive seamen. A blogger named Holoseogi said, “I hope there will be no more people the state doesn’t protect.”
Another blogger, Duridul, said, “As the government is bragging about the Samho Jewelry case, the pirates may stand by for a possible additional rescue operation for Geummi 305. I hope the crewmembers are safe.”
“I want to praise the government for the Samho case. But it should have rescued the Geummi sailors together, because it was predictable that the success of the operation for Samho might result in danger to Geummi sailors,” blogger Yeonniji said.