On Thursday 18 September the Force Commander of the European Union’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, welcomed Captain Kim Jeong-Hyun, who is the Commanding Officer of the South Korean Destroyer, ROKS Munmu the Great, on board the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria.
Captain Kim Jeong-Hyun was accompanied by six members of his ship’s company who had been selected to conduct an exchange visit with crew members from ITS Doria and the EU Force HQ staff.
During the visit the officers discussed their respective counter-piracy missions and the current piracy situation in the Horn of Africa region. Rear Admiral Rando additionally described the European Union’s comprehensive approach and how the EU Naval Force is assisting other European Union missions, such as EUCAP NESTOR, to help strengthen the maritime security capabilities of regional states.
The visit was conducted in a friendly atmosphere and underlined the common understanding that exists between many seafaring nations that freedom of movement and the securing of sea lines of communication are paramount in helping to safeguard the prosperity and stability of nations.
EU Naval Force warships deter, prevent and repress acts of piracy and armed robbery. They afford protection to World Food Programme vessels carrying food and aid to displaced people in Somalia and they escort, when required, African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) ships.
The EU Naval Force also contributes to the monitoring of fishing activities off the coast of Somalia and performs friendly approaches to increase mutual understanding between the EU Naval Force and local seafarers.
The South Korean Navy regularly assigns warships to the counter-piracy Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 and earlier this year ROKS Munmu the Great served as the CTF 151 flagship. In addition, South Korean warships provide, under national tasking, escorts for vessels in the Gulf of Aden.
Prior to commencing her counter-piracy operations, ROKS Munmu the Great completed a deployment in the Mediterranean, where she participated in a non-combatant operation in Libya and evacuated more than 70 European citizens to Malta.
At the end of the visit, Rear Admiral Rando thanked the South Korean Commander and underlined that mutual cooperation is a key factor in the fight against piracy in the Horn of Africa region.