South Korea is considering transferring to Korea five Somali pirates who were captured alive in the Arabian Sea during a Friday rescue operation of a South Korean freighter that was hijacked.

A Foreign Ministry official in Seoul said discussions have been held with countries neighboring Somalia to determine how best to hold the pirates accountable.

The official said that if it appears the pirates are unable to be held accountable by a third nation, the pirates will be brought to South Korea for prosecution.

The official says South Korea’s defense and justice ministries as well as the Korea Coast Guard are conducting a review of bringing the pirates to Seoul.

The five pirates were part of a crew of 13 pirates who were holding the South Korean “Samho Jewelry” freighter and its crew. The South Korean military rescued the ship, including the 21 crew members of the freighter, during an operation in which eight of the 13 pirates were killed.