Seoul unveils pan-government plan to crack down on illegal fishing near NLL

The government announced a pan-government plan Thursday to stamp out illegal fishing by foreign vessels near the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea, establishing a new special suppression unit on Baengnyeongdo island and launching a permanent forced-removal program for illegal fishing gear.

Five ministries and agencies — the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and Korea Coast Guard — jointly unveiled the plan, titled "Response Measures Against Foreign Vessels Illegally Fishing Near the West Sea Northern Limit Line," following inter-agency consultations Thursday.

Fishing by foreign vessels is entirely prohibited in the NLL zone, but some foreign boats have continued to exploit the area's difficult enforcement conditions, where South Korean and North Korean military forces face each other across the line. In response, the government deployed 31 enforcement vessels from the coast guard, navy, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and local authorities on Aug. 11, seizing eight Chinese fishing vessels and expelling 24 others.

The government drew up four core measures to dispel the perception that enforcement in the NLL area is lax.

The first measure strengthens crackdown operations across all waters south of the NLL. Military and police agencies will streamline information-sharing procedures, including joint situation assessments and the exchange of evidence. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will revise relevant laws — including the enforcement decree of the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Act — to establish a legal basis for punishing ancillary illegal fishing activities such as mooring, anchoring, or supplying vessels within territorial waters. The Ministry of National Defense will significantly bolster surveillance, alert operations, and on-site enforcement support near the NLL.

Forced removal of illegal fishing gear and installation of artificial structures to disrupt illegal operations will also expand. Starting in September, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will deploy one decommissioned fishing vessel and two private removal ships to forcibly clear illegal gear, and will secure additional decommissioned vessels to build a permanent removal system. The ministry also plans to install more artificial structures in waters where illegal foreign vessels frequently appear, blocking trawling activity in those areas.

To strengthen on-site enforcement capacity, two new special patrol vessels will be added to the Korea Coast Guard's West Sea Five Islands Special Guard Unit, established in 2017. A new Baengnyeong Special Suppression Unit will be created alongside the existing units on Yeonpyeongdo and Daecheongdo islands, significantly expanding enforcement personnel and equipment.

International cooperation and diplomatic measures will run in parallel. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will press China to faithfully implement agreements under the Korea-China Joint Fisheries Committee — which requires China to be notified of illegal fishing information and to report back on penalties imposed — while tightening enforcement against vessel identity manipulation and illegal vessel modifications. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will demand that China educate its fishermen and strengthen its own enforcement, and will publicize within China the domestic legal changes, including an amendment raising the maximum fine from 300 million won ($217,000) to 1.5 billion won under the Exclusive Economic Zone Fisheries Sovereignty Act. The Ministry of Unification will pursue practical measures, including the establishment of a peace zone in the Yellow Sea, to promote peace and a stable fishing order.

The government plans to launch full-scale joint enforcement operations across all waters south of the NLL starting in September, when the autumn blue crab fishing season begins.

Acting Korea Coast Guard Commissioner Jang In-sik said the waters around the NLL are a critical zone for protecting South Korea's national security and maritime sovereignty, and that the government would respond firmly to illegal activities by foreign vessels to safeguard the lives and safety of its citizens and the livelihoods of Korean fishermen.