Chinese Fishing Boat Sinks Korean Coast Guard Ship

A 4.5-ton Korean Coast Guard (KCG ) ship sank forty-seven miles off the coast Socheong Island after a Chinese fishing boat rammed into the ship on October 7. The Korean Coast Guard was in the midst of chasing another Chinese boat for illegally fishing when another Chinese boat intentionally collided with the Koreans. This took place in the exclusive South Korean economic zone (EEZ). One officer fell into the ocean, but all the officers eventually withdrew to another larger Korean ship. There were no injuries or casualties reported.

The South Korean government has formally called Zhu JiZhong, the Chinese Consul General, to address the issue. The Koreans have demanded that the Chinese investigate the sinking and charge the fisherman. However, the Chinese Embassy refuses to make any comment or offer any apology for the incident.

In the past, the KCG and Chinese fisherman have had hostile confrontations. Additionally, in 2012, a KCG officer killed a Chinese officer with rubber bullets. Another officer shot and killed a Chinese fisherman in October 2014.

Lee Joo-seong, head of the Coast Guard’s central region, has characterized the action as “attempted murder” and has announced that the Koreans will consider utilizing weapons to combat illegal fishing.

This issue makes up just one component in a large sea of mutual arguments that plague relations between Korea and China. The current territorial arguments stem from a long history of tumultuous disputes.