Kuril Fishing Talks Break Down Again

A third round of unofficial negotiations between South Korea and Japan over the fishing rights of South Korean mackerel ships in the seas off the South Kuril Islands broke down on Friday in Seoul. The two sides agreed to meet again.

South Korea turned down a Japanese proposal that South Korea recognize the seas off the South Kurils as the de facto ex-clusive economic zone of Japan. Japan also demanded that Seoul obtain prior permission for its mackerel fishing activities.

South Korea said it would discuss the matter with Russia as it did not want to become em-broiled in a territorial dispute between Russia and Japan. The Kurils were taken from Japan by the Soviet Union after World War II. Both South Korea and Japan are paying Russia for fishing rights in the waters.