Dealing with piracy

Prove suspects’ guilt strictly; punish them flexibly

The just-ended investigation into Somali suspects by the Korea Coast Guard reaffirmed how hard it is to deal with piracy. The result of the 10-day probe was largely the same as had been expected: Thirteen alleged pirates kidnapped the Korean chemical carrier in the Indian Ocean, demanded a ransom, but were quashed by Navy commandos’ rescue operation.

In handing the case over to the prosecution, the Coast Guard appears certain ― not without reason ― to prove them guilty with physical evidence and testimonies. But their investigation left a couple of questions unanswered, which could prove to be crucial for the trial to win international approval.

So the first thing the prosecutors should prove in their probe is whether or not the kidnapping on the high seas was a premeditated one. The Coast Guard investigators concluded the suspects didn’t seem to pinpoint the Korean vessel as a target, citing a difference between the timing the pirate ship and Samho Jewelry left their respective ports, and the suspects’ shouts of joy (``Korea, Samho, money too much”) in running into a vessel belonging to the cash-laden Korean liner.

Even acknowledging the difficulties in language barrier that required triple translation from English to Arabic and to Somali, it is hard to believe the sea marauders had sailed as far as 1,500 km off the coast to just aim at any ship that happened to go by.

The point is important because the East African pirates are reportedly targeting Korean ships especially since the crude oil carrier of the same company paid more than $9.5 million to set its crew of 24 free earlier this year. Industry insiders allege there are brokers leaking navigation schedules of long-distance carriers to pirates, which was also confirmed by some suspects’ reported confessions that they had known about the chemical freighter’s timetable.

More importantly, prosecutors must verify whether or not the five Somalis are part of a ring that has vexed Korean vessels, to ensure the safe return of another hijacked ship, a trawler named Golden Wave 305 and its 43 crewmembers.

The other point of contention is who critically wounded Captain Seok Hae-kyun of the Samho Jewelry. After the news that one of the four bullets removed from the injured skipper has been fired by Navy commandos, the prosecutors must determine whether the stray bullet caused the most serious gunshot wounds or not. Also mysterious is another bullet recovered from Seok but was lost later by medical staff.

Mistakes can be made during this kind of operation, but the authorities should not give the public the impression it is hiding something. The cause of the gunshot wounds will determine the sentencing of the suspected shooter among the five suspects.

Like it or not, the fairness of Korea’s judiciary process has been placed under international scrutiny. We hope it would pass the test by proving the suspects’ guilt in a most strict and objective way. Once convicted, the court is advised to show leniency to simple, poverty-driven criminals, except of course for the one who deliberately tried to murder the captives.