SEOUL — Seoul newspapers heaped praise on South Korean navy commandos who battled pirates off the coast of Somalia to release captured crew.
"The Cheongha Unit salvages national pride," declared the Dong-A Ilbo's frontpage banner headline over a colour photo of SEAL special forces storming a South Korean freighter that had been taken by pirates in the Indian Ocean.
In a pre-dawn operation about 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) off northeast Somalia on Friday, the elite troops freed all the hostages, killing eight pirates and capturing five others in compartment-to-compartment battles.
There were no other casualties than the South Korean skipper of the chemical freighter who suffered a gunshot wound to his stomach from a pirate's bullet. His condition is not life-threatening.
South Korea has come in for criticism after paying ransoms to secure the release of crew members from six vessels hijacked by Somali pirates, the Chosun Ilbo said. A seventh ship and its crew are still in pirates' hands.
"The (South Korean) people have been irritated at this vicious circle of hostage takings and ransom... The special forces deserve great awards from the government," Chosun said.
The Joongang Ilbo said the bold operation helped restore the "tainted national image" and struck fear into pirates.
"It also greatly contributed to the international community by enhancing the safety of shipping," Joongang said.
The daily called for shipping companies to step up efforts to prevent recurrences, including the establishment of shelters on ships that give crew somewhere to hide until help arrives.
The Korea Times said the success would serve as a "clear message that Seoul will no longer compromise with pirates, terrorists and hijackers."
"Their triumph should be recorded as one of the most dramatic operations in the global war against piracy," it said.
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