TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- A South Korean cargo ship on its way to Incheon from Brazil was raided by pirates in the South China Sea shortly before dawn on Monday (July 22).

The pirates waylaid the CK Bluebell, a 229-meter bulk carrier, on its journey north, reported Yonhap News Agency. Speeding toward it at a clip of over 20 knots, the pirates easily overtook the lumbering freighter.

According to the Korean Coast Guard, the attack took place in the South China Sea near Indonesia's Anambas Islands. Yonhap had reported that it occurred near the Singapore Strait.

Seven armed pirates boarded the vessel, making off with US$13,000 in cash in addition to personal effects such as cell phones, clothes, and shoes. However, according to South Korean officials in Busan, only minor injuries were reported.

The CK Bluebell resumed its course toward Incheon without further mishap. The South Korean Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has alerted Korean ships in the area to be on their guard.