Global Security, Privacy, & Risk Management

Pirates Demand Compensation from South Korea July 15, 2011

Pirates holding South Korean hostages have demanded that South Korea release pirates being held, pay a ransom for the hostages being held by the pirates and pay compensation for a commando raid that killed several pirates.

Using hostages in an attempt to get concessions from a government is yet another new trick being employed by the pirates.  The first time this tactic was used was in April when pirates made similar demands of the Indian government.  Pirate Hanson Abdi said:

“First, we want the South Korean government to change its foolish treatment of us and come with a better approach toward us,” he said in a statement read to the AP.

“Second, we want compensation from them because they killed our brothers and they also have to release others in their jails. After that we may reconsider holding their nationals in our hands,”  The MV Gemini was hijacked in April and its crew of four South Koreans were taken captive.  According to Tim Hunt,

“It takes out the economic element and introduces a political one,” he said. “They’re working outside the model they’ve built up of cash for hostages, and they’re not holding up their side of the bargain.”