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The South Korean Coast Guard patrols an illegal Chinese fishing boats near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea. (by Kim Bong-gyu, staff photographer)
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Additional step toward preventing unintended clashes and establishing maritime peace zone
South and North Korean military authorities resumed information exchanges on Nov. 2 on third-party vessels illegally fishing in near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) area in the West (Yellow) Sea. The resumption comes a decade after information exchanges based on inter-Korean general-level military talks in June 2004 were suspended in May 2008. The measure is another step toward preventing unintended armed clashes and establishing maritime peace and joint fishing zones in the West Sea NLL area as specified in the two sides’ Sept. 19 military agreement. According to the South Korean Ministry of National Defense, South and North Korean military authorities exchanged information via their West Sea military communication line at 9 am that day on the current status of “illegally fishing third-country vessels” in the NLL area. The ministry explained that the measure would be “meaningful in terms of the suspension of land-, sea-, and air-based hostile activities and demilitarization of the Panmunjom Joint Security Area recently pursued by South and North Korean military authorities, as well as the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula.” At general-level talks in June 2004, the two sides agreed to use the West Sea military communication line to exchange information on third-party boats illegally fishing around the NLL – the “third party” here essentially referring to China. Notifications regarding the number, position (latitude and longitude), and fishing times of Chinese boats were exchanged between the Navy’s 2nd Fleet Command at Pyeongtaek and North Korea’s West Sea Fleet Command at Nampo before the exchanges were suspended in May 2008. By resuming their exchanges of information on Chinese boats illegally fishing around the NLL, the two sides stand to reduce the chances of an unintended clash between their militaries. The risk of a clash arose in the past due to the potential for warships on both sides to closely approach or unwittingly cross the NLL while cracking down on Chinese fishing boats. In July, the two sides resumed operation of a shared international merchant ship network to prevent unintended clashes in the West Sea and restored their military communication line for the West Sea region. The measure is also expected to contribute to the future establishment of a maritime peace zone and inter-Korean joint fishing zone in the West Sea. With anywhere from 50 to 100 Chinese vessels descending on the waters near Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong Islands during fishing season and clearing out the waters down to small fry, many have complained of the devastating effect this has had on the grounds. At their tenth general-level talks on Oct. 16, South and North Korea agreed to quickly establish a joint military committee to discuss establishing a maritime peace zone and joint fishing zone in the West Sea. By Yoo Kang-moon, senior staff writer Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
