Seok Hae-Kyun was captain of the Samho Jewelry
A South Korean sea captain severely wounded by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean was awarded a medal Monday for his role in thwarting the hijackers.
Seok Hae-Kyun was captain of the 11,500-ton Samho Jewelry, which was seized in January but retaken six days later by South Korean naval commandos in a daring raid.
He helped the rescue mission by steering his ship in a zigzag manner to slow it down as a South Korean destroyer carrying the commandos gave chase.
During the raid Seok was shot several times but survived after several rounds of surgery. Twenty other crew members were rescued unhurt while eight pirates were killed and five captured.
The five were flown to South Korea for trial. The man convicted of shooting Seok was jailed for life while the others were given between 13-15 years in prison.
President Lee Myung-Bak Monday awarded Seok the Dongbaek Medal of the Order of Civil Merit. His doctor Lee Kug-Jong, who helped save the seriously injured wounded captain, received the same award.
“It appears Captain Seok was endowed with a heaven-blessed life,” Lee said.
“You survived and can walk again…even after suffering gunshots like that.
Source: AFP
