Overview
GTD ID:
200604040016
When:
2006-04-04
Country:
Somalia
Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Unknown
City:
Unknown
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Hijacking |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Business |
Name of Entity |
Dongwon Fisheries |
Specific Description |
Crew of Dongwon-ho No. 628 fishing boat |
Nationality of Target |
Multinational |
Target Type: Maritime |
Name of Entity |
Maritime Business of South Korea |
Specific Description |
South Korean Dongwon-ho No. 628 tuna boat off of Somalian coast |
Nationality of Target |
South Korea |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
25 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Days of Kidnapping |
117 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) released by perpetrators |
Ransom |
Yes |
Total Ransom Amount Demanded |
400000.00 |
Ransom Amount Demanded from US Sources |
0.00 |
Total Ransom Amount Paid |
800000.00 |
Total Ransom Amount Paid by US Sources |
0.00 |
Ransom Notes |
Unknown |
Property Damage |
No |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The boat left Korea in November 2005 and planned to return at the end of 2006. The crew comprised of 8 Koreans, 9 Indonesians, 5 Vietnamese, and 3 Chinese. After being captured, the South Korean vessel issued a distress call that was picked up by a Dutch military ship operating in nearby waters, which immediately prompted a joint search and rescue operation with the U.S. Navy. The warships tried to rescue the ship but withdrew after the Somali pirates threatened to kill the crew. --The ship's captain, Choi Sung-sik, contacted Busan's office by radio and had indicated 8 armed insurgents had hijacked the ship. --Dongwon planned to contact a former insurgent leader who is currently the vice minister of harbor traffic in Somalia's transitional government. The first round of negotiations took place near the Somali port of Obbia, where the ship and its crew are believed to have been taken. A Somali national represented the Korean company in the talks. South Korea's foreign ministry later asserted on April 7 that the hijackers seemed to be affiliated with a Somali warlord named 'Somalia Marine.' --On July 29, a settlement was reached with Somali pirates and they agreed to release the hostages unharmed for a ransom. The vessel was escorted by a U.S. warship to the embassy in Kenya. The Associated Press said that $800,000 was paid for the ransom, according to a Somali militia commander, but the South Korean government refused to confirm the report, only saying it was reduced from $1 million. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Unknown (suspected) |
Unknown |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
“South Korea Tries to Identify "Hijackers" of Fishing Ship off Somali Coast,” Yonhap news agency, Seoul, in English, April 05, 2006. |
Lim, Bo-mi, “Militants who seize SKorea ship off Somalia say they're defending against illegal fishing,” Associated Press Worldstream, April 05, 2006. |
Carpenter, Christopher, “117-Day Ordeal Ends for Korean Fishermen,” Korea Times, July 31, 2006. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties