KOR
▲ Illegal Chinese fishing boats seized by the Coast Guard on May 9
The government announced inter-agency countermeasures on August 27 to significantly strengthen crackdowns on illegal Chinese fishing boats operating in the waters near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea.
The government expressed a strong will to no longer condone illegal fishing by Chinese vessels, which have been monopolizing the "golden fishery" by taking advantage of areas near the maritime armistice line where South Korean fishing boats face restricted access.
Attention is focused on how effective these measures will be given the constraints on active seizures stemming from the characteristics of the inter-Korean border waters.
According to the Korea Coast Guard, an average of 70 to 80 illegal Chinese fishing boats operate daily in the waters near the NLL, including Baengnyeongdo, Daecheongdo, and Yeonpyeongdo.
While this is a significant decrease from the daily average of about 200 boats a decade ago, illegal fishing by Chinese vessels continues as they sweep up blue crabs, sand launce, and shellfish in the "golden fishery" where South Korean boats cannot enter.
Lacking ship-related documents, ports of registry, or vessel names, these "triple-zero" boats are also unlicensed in China. Fearing crackdowns by Chinese authorities upon their return, they stay long-term in the NLL waters and engage in illegal fishing.
They utilize transport and supply vessels for crew rotations and provisions.
To prepare for potential crackdowns by the Coast Guard, many of these vessels are equipped with double or triple steel doors at the entrances of wheelhouses and major compartments, alongside barbed wire and iron bars on their hulls to obstruct Coast Guard boarding.
The government's strong stance against Chinese fishing boats was also seen right after the sinking of a Coast Guard high-speed boat in 2016, a decade ago.
On October 7 of that year, the Coast Guard discovered about 40 Chinese fishing boats in the waters off Socheongdo, Incheon, and launched a seizure operation, but the Chinese vessels rammed and sank the Coast Guard high-speed boat before fleeing.
Following this unprecedented incident where South Korean public authority was attacked and sunk by Chinese fishing boats, the Coast Guard declared it would not hesitate to use official weapons if Chinese vessels offered resistance.
In fact, on November 1 of that year, while escorting two seized Chinese fishing boats in the waters off Socheongdo, Incheon, about 30 surrounding Chinese boats mounted a collision attack and strongly resisted. The Coast Guard suppressed them by firing some 700 rounds from an M60 machine gun mounted on a patrol ship around the fishing boats.
This incident was recorded as the first time the Coast Guard used official firearms against Chinese fishing boats.
Sometimes, fishermen themselves seize Chinese fishing boats and hand them over to the Coast Guard.
On June 5, 2016, fishermen in Yeonpyeongdo led five fishing boats and directly seized two Chinese fishing boats while heading out to fish.
Although these fishermen could have faced administrative penalties such as the suspension of their marine officer licenses or fishing suspensions for violating the Fisheries Act, authorities did not punish them after considering the circumstances.
It remains uncertain whether these comprehensive government-wide measures, introduced after 10 years, will be effective enough to eradicate illegal fishing by Chinese vessels in the NLL waters.
Plans such as deploying the Coast Guard Baengnyeong Special Strike Unit or revising related laws cannot be implemented immediately and will take time through consultations among relevant ministries.
Similarly, plans to install underwater artificial structures saw 842 units dropped between 2015 and 2017, yet illegal fishing by Chinese boats has persisted, and the policy of strengthening joint crackdowns with Chinese authorities is a measure that has frequently emerged in the past.
Above all, operations to seize Chinese fishing boats face considerable practical constraints in the NLL waters, which are dubbed the powder keg of the Korean Peninsula where three inter-Korean naval clashes, including the first and second Yeonpyeong battles and the Daecheong battle, have taken place.
When the Coast Guard initiates a seizure operation, Chinese boats flee at full speed into North Korean waters, requiring operations to be completed within 10 to 15 minutes after boarding, which is practically difficult.
However, as the government's determination to eradicate illegal fishing in the NLL waters is stronger than ever, expectations are rising that more effective responses than in the past will be possible despite these practical constraints.
On the 11th, the government mobilized 31 vessels from relevant agencies including the Coast Guard, Navy, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and local governments, achieving results by seizing 8 Chinese fishing boats and driving away 24 others in waters near Yeonpyeongdo.
Considering that the number of Chinese boats seized in NLL waters was 12 in 2023, 1 in 2024, and 4 in 2025, the total of 10 boats seized so far this year surpasses previous years' records.
Jang In-sik, acting commissioner general of the Korea Coast Guard, stated that they will dispel the false perception among foreign vessels that crackdowns are limited in the NLL waters, emphasizing that the NLL area is a vital region protecting South Korea's security and maritime sovereignty, and they will decisively respond to illegal activities by foreign vessels.
(Photo: Provided by the West Sea 5 Special Guard Flotilla of the Jungbu Regional Coast Guard, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
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