Minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Hwang Jong-woo visited the Naval Operations Command in Busan Metropolitan City on Friday, May 15 to encourage the members of the ROKS Wang Geon (Commander Ahn Woo-jin) of the Cheonghae Unit's 48th contingent who are departing for the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia to carry out the mission of protecting Korean ships and citizens. At the farewell ceremony for the 48th contingent, Minister Hwang expressed gratitude to the Cheonghae Unit for departing to protect Korean ships and citizens despite the grave situation in the waters where the mission is to be carried out—including the recent unstable situation in the Middle East and the threat of pirates in the Gulf of Aden and Somalia—and called for the successful completion of the mission and safe return of all personnel.