By Yi Whan-woo
South Korea and China collided Thursday over Seoul’s plan to actively use force against illegal Chinese fishing boats in its territorial waters ― a further sign of diplomatic conflict following their dispute over an advanced U.S. missile defense system.
China is accusing South Korea of “abusing its authority” in its decision made in the wake of the sinking of a Coast Guard patrol boat after it was rammed by a Chinese fishing vessel in waters 76 kilometers southwest of Socheong Island near Incheon in the West Sea.
The Coast Guard boat sank at latitude 37 degrees 23 minutes and 6 seconds north and longitude 123 degrees 58 minutes and 56 seconds east, according to the South Korean government.
On Wednesday, the Chinese foreign ministry cited that such a position is in the Exclusive Fisheries Zone, where both countries are allowed to fish in line with a bilateral fishing agreement. The ministry spokesman Geng Shuang claimed South Korea’s decision was therefore “not persuasive enough.”
Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted the Chinese government’s statement, pointing out that the Chinese vessel was first spotted fishing illegally in South Korean waters at latitude 37 degrees 28 minutes and 33 seconds north and longitude 124 degrees 2 minutes and 3 seconds east.
“The Coast Guard exercised its rights to chase an illegal fishing boat as stipulated by the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea before the boat was rammed by the Chinese vessel outside its zone of jurisdiction and sank,” the Seoul government said in a statement. “Our responses against illegal fishing and challenges to law enforcement are in full compliance with international and domestic laws.”
During a National Assembly audit, Thursday, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said his ministry will discuss with other related ministries to ask China extradite those who are responsible for sinking the 4.5-ton Coast Guard speed boat
He also said he has requested the Beijing government to investigate, apprehend and punish the crew of the 100-ton Chinese vessel that fled back to China after the incident.
In separate efforts, the Incheon Coast Guard held its first live-fire drill using large vessels’ weapons.
A total of six ships of various tonnages ― 50 tons, 100 tons, 300 tons and 500 tons ― were mobilized. The crew fired a series of rounds using 40-milimieter deck guns, 20-millimeter Vulcan automatic cannons and M60 machine guns.
They also conducted drills aimed at countering Chinese fishermen on board who frequently resist the Coast Guard by using deadly weapons such as hacksaws and knives.
The dispute came amid China’s repeated opposition toward the planned deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea next year.
Beijing has been insisting that THAAD’s long-range radar can be used to spy on its military activities despite Washington’s assurance that it will only be used to deter North Korea’s ballistic missile attacks.
The Huanqiu Shibao, a sister daily to the Chinese communist party’s People’s Daily, called South Korea’s plan to actively use force against the Chinese fishing boats “crazy.”
It claimed that Seoul’s actions is “intended to express its complaint and displeasure toward Beijing” following the argument over THAAD.
“The South Korean government must have been crazy,” it said in an editorial, Tuesday. “This is a collective seizure of nationalism.”
In a separate article, it also said the two countries should remain calm considering their relations have worsened because of THAAD-related issues and that there has been misunderstanding over “minor conflicts.”
Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University, speculated that the dispute over illegal Chinese fishing boats can worsen Seoul-Beijing ties more than that over THAAD.
He cited that the Chinese media outlets have been referring to the Chinese fishermen as “Those who desperately need to make a living.”
“I’ve been told fishing stock in China is almost depleted because of illegal fishing and that’s probably why the Chinese fishermen are operating illegally outside their territorial waters,” he said. “It’s possible that they will rise against their government if it cooperates with South Korea in banning fishing in South Korean waters because they will have no way to earn money.”