The recent surge of Chinese fishing vessels illegally fishing in the western waters of South Korea has forced South Korean authorities to step up their enforcement efforts, not ruling out the use of multi-operational weapons.
According to a report by the Central News Agency today, the South Korean Coast Guard intends to use force in response to the rampant illegal fishing by Chinese fishing vessels. The Central Coast Guard said today that the number of illegal Chinese fishing vessels near the EEZ in western South Korea has averaged 360 per day since October, up 80 percent from 199 in September, the Yonhap news agency was quoted as saying.
The Korea Coast Guard speculates that the increased catch in the EEZ in western Korean waters this year, coupled with the impact of the 2019 coronavirus disease, has led authorities to respond with passive measures such as expulsions to avoid unnecessary contact, resulting in an increase in the number of Chinese fishing vessels illegally fishing in the EEZ.
The Coast Guard’s original deployment of two police vessels in the western EEZ has increased to three since September 22, with the duration of each trip increasing from eight days and seven nights to nine days and eight nights.
According to the report, the Coast Guard will also cooperate with the West Sea Fisheries Management Mission under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the Navy and other units to crack down on illegal Chinese fishing vessels that trespass in Korean waters, not excluding the use of shared weapons. A shared weapon is a multi-operator weapon that is larger than general infantry equipment and is operated by a small team below the squadron level.
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