The Korean government hosted the "Seoul High-Level Meeting on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia" on June 9-10 in Seoul.

Ambassador for International Counter-terrorism Cooperation Lee Joon-gyu, head of the Korean delegation presided over the Meeting and Vice Minister Shin Kak-soo presented the opening remarks. The Korean delegation included officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Navy.

The Seoul High-Level Meeting was held with contribution from the Government of Japan and in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

About 100 representatives from 34 nations including Korea and 13 international organizations with a common interest in eliminating piracy off the Somali coast had in-depth discussions on recent piracy activities in the Gulf of Aden, the role of international and regional organizations in fighting piracy, and exemplary cases of private shipping companies dealing with pirates, ways to support capacity-building in Somalia and neighboring countries, and recent experience in military operations.

The adoption of the “Seoul Statement on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia” at the Seoul High-Level Meeting is seen as having contributed towards global consensus on the process to support capacity-building in Somalia and neighboring countries.

At the “1st Steering Committee Meeting” and the “Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia Working Group 1” held along with the High-Level Meeting to designate a point of contact among Somalia and neighboring states, participants had a useful exchange of views on ways to establish effective exchange of piracy-related information as well as the current demand for capability development in Somalia and neighboring countries.