China is expected to impose strict penalties on the owners of vessels engaged in illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea.
On September 7, Noh Jae-heon, South Korea's ambassador to China, stated at the embassy that the Chinese Coast Guard recently located the owner of a "ghost ship" that was seized by the South Korean Coast Guard in May and is currently undergoing legal proceedings. He noted that China had requested South Korea to provide relevant evidence through the embassy on August 25.
A "ghost ship" is defined as a vessel lacking three key elements: a name and number, a fishing vessel certificate, and a registered port. Essentially, these ships operate without proper identification. In May, the South Korean Coast Guard captured a Chinese ghost ship engaged in illegal fishing and arrested its crew, but the owner had not been identified until now.
Chinese authorities have now found the owner of the vessel and are reportedly planning to impose severe penalties. China has amended its fishing laws to increase fines for illegal fishing and has established penalties for ghost ships that can reach up to double the value of the vessel.
Ambassador Noh stated, "The Chinese government is continuously working to eradicate ghost ships," adding that the embassy has provided evidence related to the vessel, including location data confirmed by the Coast Guard's radar and on-site enforcement photographs, to the Chinese side.
Additionally, Noh announced that a "2026 Regional Consular Conference in China" will be held on September 10, attended by consuls general from across China. The meeting will include officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and consuls general or their deputies from ten consulates in China.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.