S. Korean parliament approves extension of anti-piracy mission off Somalia

SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly on Thursday endorsed a bill to extend the deployment of Korean troops on an anti-piracy mission off Somalia for another year, as the first one-year term would be complete at the end of this year. The Cheonghae Unit has been deployed in the Gulf of Aden since early 2009 as part of a global effort to tackle piracy in the region. The 300-strong contingent is tasked with protecting South Korean vessels off the Somalian coast and providing support to ships of other nations in nearby waters. In January, Navy commandos from the Cheonghae unit raided a South Korean freighter that had been hijacked by Somalian pirates in the Arabian Sea, rescuing all 21 crew members and killing eight pirates. (END)