20 Korea Coast Guard officers injured enforcing ban on illegal Chinese fishing since 2021

Twenty Korea Coast Guard officers were injured while enforcing the ban on illegal Chinese fishing between 2021 and September this year, according to data released Thursday. Over the same period, 295 Chinese fishing vessels were seized and 3,167 were expelled from waters near the West Sea's Northern Limit Line (NLL). Safety concerns at enforcement sites have also grown after Chinese vessels began installing physical obstructions to prevent coast guard officers from boarding.

The figures come from data the Korea Coast Guard submitted to People Power Party lawmaker Kim Sun-kyo of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee.

Annual injury counts stood at one each in 2021 and 2022, rose to three in 2023 and six in 2024, then fell back to three last year. This year, however, six officers were already injured through September — double last year's full-year total in just nine months.

Inspectors at enforcement sites have also found boom-type structures that Chinese vessels install to block coast guard speedboats from approaching and officers from boarding. The obstructions have raised concerns that officers face serious safety risks during crackdown operations.

The number of Chinese fishing vessels appearing near the West Sea NLL remains high. The daily average stood at about 60 in 2021, rose to about 70 in 2022, climbed to roughly 90 each year from 2023 through last year, and still ran at about 80 as of September this year.

The number of Chinese vessels expelled from NLL waters fell from 646 in 2021 to 424 in 2022, 446 in 2023 and 345 in 2024, before surging to 729 last year. This year, 577 vessels had already been expelled through September.

Over the same period, a total of 295 Chinese fishing vessels were seized for illegal fishing, with 3,015 crew members taken into custody.

By maritime zone, Mokpo recorded the most seizures at 111 vessels carrying 1,254 crew members — 37.6 percent of all seized boats. The Incheon and West Sea Five Islands Special Guard zone followed with 67 vessels and 506 crew members, then Seogwipo with 39 vessels and 368 crew members, Jeju with 38 vessels and 432 crew members, Gunsan with 36 vessels and 400 crew members, and Taean with four vessels and 55 crew members.

Annual seizure figures dropped from 66 vessels in 2021 to 42 in 2022, then rose to 54 in 2023, fell to 46 in 2024 and climbed back to 57 last year. This year, 30 vessels carrying 287 crew members were seized through September, with Mokpo again leading at 14 vessels.

Kim urged stronger action, saying illegal Chinese fishing threatens not only the livelihoods of South Korean fishermen but also the safety of the coast guard officers sent to stop it.

"Illegal fishing by Chinese vessels is a problem that threatens the livelihoods and fishing sovereignty of our fishermen," Kim said. "We must strengthen enforcement and punishment of illegal fishing while also putting in place safety measures for coast guard officers in the field."