The 60-year-old captain of the Samho Jewelry, a ship hijacked by Somali pirates in 2011, will enter Korea National Open University this spring. Seok Hae-hyun was wounded by the pirates during the rescue operation in January 2011, but has recovered.

The former captain was recently accepted into the Department of Youth Education at the university.

“I applied for the course because I want to serve society as an educator in a second life I was given after the near-death crisis,” he told Yonhap news agency.

“Young people these days seem to be weak mentally and physically, possibly because of pressure to pass college entrance examinations. I’d like to help them after completing their advanced education.”

Soon after graduating from high school in 1970, he enlisted the navy and was discharged five years and four months later as a noncommissioned officer. He first got into international shipping in 1977 and then lived a maritime life for about 40 years until the rescue operation in January 2011. Now, he cannot board a vessel again due to health problems.

He has lectured navy sailors on national security since June, last year.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)