Korea demands China apologize for killing of coast guard officer

Korea urged China on Tuesday to offer an official apology for the killing of a Korean Coast Guard officer by a Chinese skipper during a crackdown on illegal fishing and demanded Beijing take "acceptable" measures to prevent such an incident from happening again.

The Korean Coast Guard officer was fatally stabbed to death and another was seriously wounded on Monday after boarding a Chinese fishing boat illegally fishing near Korean waters. In Seoul, anger has grown over the violence of the Chinese fisherman, who faces a murder charge, and Beijing's failure to apologize.

"The government is calling on the Chinese government to take measures that would be acceptable by our people to prevent such an incident from happening again," ministry spokesman Cho Byung-jae said.

"We expect the Chinese government to express regret over the incident," Cho said, adding the "acceptable" measures would include an official apology from Beijing.

Including the Chinese skipper, nine Chinese fishermen were arrested by South Korean maritime police during the Monday operation.

Cho said that South Korea will sternly deal with the Chinese fishermen under the "principle of law and order."

Korea also plans to set up a regular consultative body with China to crack down the illegal fishing by Chinese boats near Korean waters, Cho said.

Earlier on Tuesday, President Lee Myung-bak ordered officials to take "strong" measures against illegal fishing by Chinese boats, by better equipping the Coast Guard and deploying more personnel to guard the nation's waters. (Yonhap)