[Photo] Coast Guard fires warning shots at Chinese boats illegally fishing in West Sea

The South Korean Coast Guard reported that it had fired nearly 250 rounds of ammunitions at illegal Chinese fishing boats which had strayed into South Korean territorial waters during a confrontation in the West Sea on Dec. 19. A statement by the Coast Guard said that, “Chinese ships equipped with steel bars and mesh ignored the order to leave and rushed toward the patrol boat,” provoking fire. Confrontations have become more commonplace in this area in recent years, with an incident in September leading to the deaths of three fishermen who were killed by a flash grenade thrown from a South Korean patrol boat. (provided by Coast Guard)