The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    4 Chinese, 4 Russian military planes enter Korea's air defense zone without notice

  • 3

    'The Second Husband' co-stars to the tie knot, expecting child in real life

  • 5

    Egyptian national arrested for possession of cannabis cookie

  • 7

    Presidential office's plan to revamp TV viewing fees causes stir

  • 9

    Samsung family takes out stock loans to pay inheritance tax

  • 11

    International Yoga Day to celebrate well-being of body, mind

  • 13

    Saudi mega-city project NEOM secures $5.6 bil. for workforce housing

  • 15

    Controversy grows as fisheries ministry stresses safety of seafood, salt, beaches

  • 17

    Hyundai Motor, IKEA join hands to promote sustainable outdoor activities

  • 19

    Seoul Queer Culture Festival venue moved to Euljiro

  • 2

    Asiana Airlines pilots union to initiate mass flight delays

  • 4

    Korean food's global popularity leads to copycat products in China, Japan

  • 6

    'Dynamite' tops 1.7 bil. YouTube views to become most-watched BTS MV

  • 8

    ROK-US alliance is now nuclear-based: President Yoon

  • 10

    Incheon announces plans to become hub for overseas Koreans

  • 12

    Heart transplant recipients tie the knot

  • 14

    S. Korea wins seat on UN Security Council for 2024-25

  • 16

    JYP founder to work as guest commentator for NBA finals on Korean cable

  • 18

    JPMorgan chief meets with Korean financial leaders

  • 20

    Apple unveils Vision Pro, its $3,500 headset

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
North Korea
Thu, June 8, 2023 | 13:10
N. Koreans forced into deadly fishing
Posted : 2017-12-05 16:54
Updated : 2017-12-06 11:43
Yi Whan-woo
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Fishing believed new source of income amid UN sanctions

By Yi Whan-woo

A number of North Korean fishermen have been rescued recently after drifting in Japanese waters and its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the East Sea. Also, many others have been found dead.

In all cases their boats had apparently ran out of fuel or suffered engine failure.

This suggests they were forced to go out to sea without sufficient equipment to catch fish there, analysts said Tuesday.

They speculated that the impoverished regime may have demanded its fishermen meet certain fishing quotas as part of efforts to fight economic hardship intensified by U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions for its nuclear and missile provocations.

"The fishing authorities are believed to be putting pressure on fishermen to meet a quota to earn money," said Kang Myung-do, a North Korean defector and political science professor at Kyonggi University.

Kang said Pyongyang's efforts to vitalize the fishing industry were part of its economic policy.

"The problem is, most of the fishing boats are obsolete, wooden ones. They are so old that they are damaged when constantly hit by mild waves," he said.

Kang said lack of fuel, coupled with repeated engine failure also contributed to the situation, saying, "The UNSC sanctions are certainly affecting the lives of civilians in the North although they are mainly targeting Pyongyang's military activities."

The analysts claimed that the Kim Jong-un regime's sales of fishing rights to China in its own waters is one of the reasons North Koreans are risking their lives to catch fish in the open seas of the Pacific.

"The North Korean fishermen have no option other than going beyond their territorial waters to meet quotas set by the repressive state," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

Kang agreed, although he argued that pollution in North Korean waters in the East Sea may also have triggered some fishermen to catch fish in more distant locations.

"I don't think the Kim regime sold fishing rights to China for all its waters. But even so, the eastern coast has been polluted by sewage and waste oil from chemical plants and steelmakers in the region. It obviously makes it difficult for them to catch fish in the shallow waters," he said.

On Monday, the bodies of three men believed to be from North Korea were found on the coast of Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture. The bodies were founded along with the wreckage of a wooden boat.

Also on Monday, the body of a suspected North Korean was found on a beach in Nikaho, Akita Prefecture.

The new findings come after the Japan Coast Guard announced it had found 44 wrecked North Korean boats in Japanese waters from January to Nov. 22.

The boats were mostly old wooden ones. They often carried human remains, suggesting that the crew died after drifting for a long time on the open sea.

In separate news, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported last week that 13 North Korean fishing boats have been found since Nov. 15. The 13 carried a combined 17 dead bodies.

Experts said the North Korean boats were found in Japanese waters recently because there is a wide range of fish to be caught in the region at this time of the year.

"They could have caught fish in either the West or East seas, but the latter turned out to have more and more varied fish," Yang said.

Kang argued that the North Korean fishing boats have preferred the East Sea because the fishing ground in the West Sea is relatively smaller and also they cannot compete with advanced Chinese boats.


Emailyistory@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Heart transplant recipients tie the knot Heart transplant recipients tie the knot
2Seoul Queer Culture Festival venue moved to Euljiro Seoul Queer Culture Festival venue moved to Euljiro
3Experts skeptical about effectiveness of S. Korea's UNSC seat to rein in NK Experts skeptical about effectiveness of S. Korea's UNSC seat to rein in NK
4Korea, Poland celebrate rollout of Warsaw's first FA-50 Korea, Poland celebrate rollout of Warsaw's first FA-50
5Samsung to unveil new foldable phones at Galaxy Unpacked in Seoul Samsung to unveil new foldable phones at Galaxy Unpacked in Seoul
6Yido bridges East, West via fusion cuisine in crafted ceramics Yido bridges East, West via fusion cuisine in crafted ceramics
7Rise in temperatures, solar radiation by 2100 inevitable: weather agency Rise in temperatures, solar radiation by 2100 inevitable: weather agency
8Umbrella union boycotts negotiating body to protest labor crackdownUmbrella union boycotts negotiating body to protest labor crackdown
9Coupang, Baemin under pressure from radical labor groups Coupang, Baemin under pressure from radical labor groups
10Tax on domestic cars to be lowered in July Tax on domestic cars to be lowered in July
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Frieze Seoul unveils stronger lineup of Asian galleries for its second edition Frieze Seoul unveils stronger lineup of Asian galleries for its second edition
2'Leaving Las Vegas' director Mike Figgis puts Korea in spotlight in new film 'Leaving Las Vegas' director Mike Figgis puts Korea in spotlight in new film
3[REVIEW] 'The ODD Of LOVE' concert: Taeyeon shows why she is among K-pop's top vocalists REVIEW'The ODD Of LOVE' concert: Taeyeon shows why she is among K-pop's top vocalists
4Baritone Kim Tae-han wins Queen Elisabeth Competition Baritone Kim Tae-han wins Queen Elisabeth Competition
5Busan Film Festival accepts director Huh Moon-yung's resignation Busan Film Festival accepts director Huh Moon-yung's resignation
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group