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Coast Guard cracks down on illegal foreign fishing

Published: 15 Oct. 2025, 14:44

A Chinese fishing boat captured by the Coast Guard in the waters southwest of Socheong Island, Ongjin County in March this year [KOREA COAST GUARD]

With autumn crab season underway and more than 800 Chinese fishing boats spotted in the Yellow Sea, Korean authorities have launched a large-scale crackdown — in cooperation with the Navy and other agencies — on illegal foreign fishing.

The Korea Coast Guard said on Wednesday it will conduct a joint special operation against illegal foreign fishing through Monday, working alongside the Navy and management offices of regional fisheries.

Between 130 and 233 Chinese vessels have recently been observed near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea, a zone where all foreign fishing operations are strictly prohibited, according to the Coast Guard.

Additionally, out of the 1,150 Chinese vessels authorized to operate in Korea’s exclusive economic zone, more than half — 711 bottom trawlers — are scheduled to resume fishing from Thursday. That brings the total number of Chinese vessels active in the Yellow Sea to over 800.

Authorities suspect that some of these vessels are illegally using banned equipment, such as large-scale drag nets, or are unlicensed boats disguising themselves as legally authorized operators.

To respond, the Coast Guard will deploy a joint force covering the entire Yellow Sea from the NLL to waters off Jeju Island. The operation includes 22 Coast Guard vessels — 11 1,000-ton large patrol ships, 8 300-ton midsize ships, and three special response boats — along with three aircraft.

The Navy’s Second Fleet and enforcement vessels from the Yellow Sea and South Sea fisheries agencies will also participate.

A Chinese fishing boat captured by the Coast Guard in the waters southwest of Socheong Island, Ongjin County in May this year [KOREA COAST GUARD]

The Korea Fisheries Resources Agency's dismantling vessels — Clean Sea 1 and 2, as well as an 89-ton demersal net reduction ship — will be stationed near key zones to swiftly remove illegal fishing gear such as drag nets, which are banned in Korean waters.

Authorities also plan to carry out joint operations to remove illegal equipment and reinforce anti-illegal fishing measures.

The Coast Guard seized 42 illegal Chinese vessels in 2022, 54 in 2023 and 46 in 2024. As of September this year, 38 boats have been captured, including four near the NLL.

“We will respond firmly and without tolerance to illegal foreign fishing activities that devastate marine resources,” said Korea Coast Guard Commissioner Kim Yong-jin. “We will do everything possible to ensure that the public can work safely and with peace of mind.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI MO-RAN [[email protected]]