Seoul, March 04: South Korea’s coastguard has shot and wounded a Chinese crewman after coming under attack aboard a boat suspected of illegal fishing, Yonhap news agency said today.
The agency, quoting coastguard officials, said the shooting happened after the 30-tonne vessel and another Chinese fishing boat were captured yesterday about 100 kilometres south-west of the west coast town of Taean.
Coastguard spokesmen could not immediately be reached for confirmation of the incident, which would mark the first time the South has opened fire.
Yonhap said coastguard officers boarded the boats, which were suspected of fishing 11km inside South Korea’s exclusive economic zone, but faced tough resistance from weapons-wielding Chinese crewmen.
It said officers opened fire, wounding one crewman in the leg and capturing a total of 10 crew members. One South Korean officer was also hurt.
The coastguard reportedly intends to impose a fine of 30 million won (almost $26,645.61) on each boat for illegal fishing and book the crewmen accused of wounding the South Korean officer.
Clashes between weapons-wielding Chinese fishermen and the South’s coastguard are not unusual. One officer was killed in 2008.
Last December three Chinese detained for illegal fishing were freed without charge following protests from Beijing.
——–Agencies