The foreign ministry convened a meeting of diplomatic mission chiefs near the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in Ethiopia on Thursday, in a bid to better protect South Koreans from piracy in the region.

According to the ministry on Saturday, the meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa was attended by diplomatic chiefs from countries, such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Oman, Egypt, and Kenya, as well as officials from the oceans ministry.

Participants shared past piracy cases and the current situation in the region, while discussing response measures prepared at each embassy.

Hong Seok-in, ambassador and deputy minister for public diplomacy, who led the meeting, called for the establishment of cooperation with countries in the region to ensure smooth exchange of information.

The deputy minister also met with South Korean residents in Ethiopia and urged them to exercise caution in consideration of the public security situation in the country.