13 June 2012

News Story: South Korea to join India-China-Japan anti-piracy patrols


New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) South Korea will soon become the fourth nation to join an India-China-Japan effort at coordinated anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, in a bid to effectively utilise their warships to escort cargo vessels in the brigand-affected waters.

'South Korea has indicated its interest in join the tri-nation effort that was launched in February this year,' a senior Indian Navy officer said here Tuesday.

'The proposal from Seoul is likely to be approved by the three nations and the Korean warships may join the coordinated patrol from July,' he said.

India, Japan and China agreed on the mechanism for optimum utilisation of their warships' patrolling of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) so that the movement of cargo vessels in convoys could be coordinated to ward off pirate attacks.

Read the full story at News Track India