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China maintains secrecy around Yellow Sea rig ahead of scheduled bilateral talks

Published: 21 Apr. 2025, 19:06 Updated: 21 Apr. 2025, 19:07

One of the large steel structures installed by China in the Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) in the Yellow Sea. Installed in 2022, China claims it is a deep-sea aquaculture management support facility. [OFFICE OF REP. EOM TAE-YOUNG]

China has refused Korea’s request to conduct an on-site inspection of a large steel structure installed in the Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) of the Yellow Sea and has also not confirmed whether the facility is fixed to the seabed, drawing mounting calls for Beijing to provide clarity and allow access during an upcoming bilateral maritime dialogue.

The “salmon farm”

Since 2018, China has been expanding similar facilities in the PMZ, which overlaps the two countries’ exclusive economic zones (EEZs). It added the first support structure, “Shenlan No. 1,” in 2022 and another unit, the “Shenlan No. 2,” last year.

In the PMZ, where the EEZs of Korea and China overlap, activities other than fishing that could lead to unilateral changes in the status quo should be refrained from, according to the EEZ agreement and international laws.

Beijing claims these are deep-sea aquaculture facilities near China. It has been expanding the facility without any confirmation of its identity, while Seoul raises concerns over unilateral changes to the status quo in the Yellow Sea.

Of particular concern is a support platform that appears to be a repurposed oil rig.

A photo recently obtained by People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Eom Tae-young shows the name “Atlantic Amsterdam,” the structure’s former name as an oil drilling rig, and its current Chinese name, “Shenyuanhai No. 1,” clearly marked.

Korean government records confirm the rig was decommissioned in 2016 after serving as a drilling platform.

The Shenyuanhai platform was established with 500 million yuan ($68 million) to promote the deep-sea green aquaculture demonstration zone project, according to the website of Shandong Marine Group — a hint that it may expand beyond the demonstration zone to multiple similar facilities in the future.

In October 2021, before the facility was actually installed, a post related to the Qingdao Fisheries Expo described the Atlantic Amsterdam, which had arrived in Qingdao, as an “integrated management platform,” saying it would serve roles such as “living support, material storage, system management, remote control of the fish farm, information exchange and maintenance.”

In the same post, the Chinese entity also claimed that “a deep-sea equipment cluster will be built by 2025,” and that “the farming area will reach 1.7 million cubic meters [60 million cubic feet], with an annual output of 8 million fish and a production value expected to exceed 10 billion yuan.”

China reportedly told Korea in 2022 that the structure was no longer used for oil drilling after modification, but was instead an “auxiliary facility for aquaculture” where about five people could be stationed to manage salmon farming. The structure is also said to include a space where helicopters can land and take off.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung speaks during a press conference at the Sejong government complex on April 21. [NEWS1]

“Just take our word for it”

Neither the Korean government nor the military has verified whether the facility is fixed to the seabed like a traditional oil rig.

Satellite imagery alone is insufficient to make such determinations, but Beijing has blocked Korean survey ships from conducting underwater inspections. In February, the two countries’ coast guards even faced off at sea after China blocked a Korean vessel that was attempting to examine the structure.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung said in a briefing on Monday that “the platform was first spotted by Korea’s fisheries patrol in March 2022, prompting Seoul to express strong concern via diplomatic channels,” but admitted that “whether it is fixed or floating has not been confirmed.”

Whether the platform is fixed is legally significant. Article 83 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea stipulates that, during disputes over EEZ boundaries, “states must refrain from actions that might jeopardize a final agreement.”

Past legal precedents have treated “permanent physical impacts on the marine environment” as violations, which could include structures fixed to the seabed with steel piles.

The Korean government is also considering the possibility that the facility may be semifixed — partially anchored like other Chinese aquaculture platforms, which use multiple moorings to minimize drift in strong currents — in which case it may be difficult to definitively categorize it as either a fixed or floating structure.

Shenlan No. 1, which China claims is an aquaculture facility, is also structured to allow multiple anchors to be dropped to the seabed, and the auxiliary management facility may likewise have been subjected to a certain level of fixing measures to prevent it from being swayed by strong winds or currents.

Shenlan No. 2, which China installed last year in the Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) in the Yellow Sea [OFFICE OF REP. EOM TAE-YOUNG]

Talking the real talk

Seoul aims to draw from Beijing not only a concrete and clear explanation regarding the nature of the structure, but also acceptance of an on-site investigation request at a soon-to-come Korea-China maritime dialogue.

Although the issue of this structure was raised through diplomatic channels during the Moon Jae-in administration, China has continued to repeat its claim that it is for “fishery use” and has expanded the facility without making any corrections.

Expressing regret over this and securing a pledge for prevention of recurrence are also key agenda items in this round of the maritime dialogue.

Shenlan No. 1, which China installed in 2018 in the Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) in the Yellow Sea [OFFICE OF REP. EOM TAE-YOUNG]

Korea will be represented by Kang Young-shin, deputy director-general for Northeast Asian affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while China will be represented by Hong Liang, director-general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Korean government has also been reviewing “proportional” countermeasures in the event that China shows no change in its attitude.

“We regard proportional responses as a very serious matter from the perspective of protecting maritime territory, and [our] government will respond jointly at the national level,” said Minister Kang on Monday.

As part of its response, the Oceans Ministry stated that it is discussing with relevant ministries the installation of suitable facilities such as aquaculture structures on the Korean side and will allocate budget accordingly.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung speaks during a press conference at the Sejong government complex on April 21. [YONHAP]

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY PARK HYUN-JU, SHIN KYUNG-JIN, IM SOUNG-BIN [[email protected]]