1. A fishing vessel (Marine 711) with three Koreans aboard is presumed to have been kidnapped in waters off Ghana in Africa at around 17:30, March 26, local time (about 02:30, March 27, KST). The government of the Republic of Korea is doing its best to find out the whereabouts of the three Koreans.

o While driving the fishing boat to waters off Nigeria, the kidnappers transferred the three Koreans and other sailors to a speed boat and escaped (around 17:40, March 27, local time). The whereabouts of the speed boat and the three Koreans are still unknown.

2. President Moon Jae-in, who was briefed on the situation on March 28 immediately after arriving home following a trip to foreign countries, directed related government officials to exert utmost efforts to ensure the safety of the Koreans and their safe return. Accordingly, the Cheonghae Unit (Munmu the Great), stationed in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia's coast to support the safe operations of Korean vessels, is rushing to nearby waters at 09:00, March 28, to ensure the Korean crew members’ safety and support their release.

3. Furthermore, since immediately after the incident, the ROK government has been exerting diplomatic efforts to locate the whereabouts of the Koreans and ensure their safe return in close cooperation with Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Benin and other African countries, as well as the ROK’s allies, including the US and the EU.

4. The ROK government will make every possible effort to ensure the Koreans’ safe return home, working together to the maximum extent with the African countries and allies, and maintaining an emergency operation mode.

* unofficial translation