According to International news, the Coast Guard has intercepted five Chinese fishing vessels engaging in unauthorized operations within Korean-controlled waters along the western and southern coasts, resulting in the confiscation of one of the boats.
According to officials, the fishing boats were apprehended as part of a collaborative enforcement effort involving the Coast Guard, Navy, and fisheries ministry in waters near the western inter-Korean sea boundary and the exclusive economic zone surrounding Jeju Island from May 25 to 31.
One Chinese captain has been formally detained, and five crew members were expelled. Additionally, 58 other boats have been removed from the area. Authorities reported collecting a total of 450 million won ($332,637) as collateral from the confiscated fishing vessels.
As explained, throughout the operation, several Chinese sailors were found violating the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the recognized maritime border between North and South Korea in the Yellow Sea, using small rubber boats. Some Chinese vessels were also accused of underreporting their catches.
In one specific incident, authorities discovered a Chinese vessel equipped with 31 illegal fishing nets, capable of catching even small fish, in Jeju’s waters.
