[On-site] Departure to the sea facing North Korea… Fishing 'abnormal' amid tensions between North and South Korea

“Although we are close to North Korea, we are operating safely.”

Around 5 a.m. on the 7th, Geojin Port, Geojin-eup, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do. Before dawn, fishing boats heading to the northern fishing grounds and low-lying fishing grounds prepared to depart one by one through the pitch-black darkness.

Sokcho Marine Police Station Geojin Police Station members also became busy. The crew aboard the P-21 boat checked the equipment and communication status and inspected the situation in the fishing area.

Recently, as tensions between North and South Korea increased, with a landmine planted by the North Korean military exploding in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and injuring our soldiers, tensions also arose in the border waters bordering North Korea.

The reporters also boarded a patrol boat that day and covered the safety management of fishing boats in the northern fishing grounds and low-lying fishing grounds.

As we left Geojin Port and headed north, the surrounding scenery changed.

As the day dawned, North Korea's mountain ranges appeared over the horizon.

Geumgangsan Mountain and the Haegeumgang area also came into view. North Korea, seen from the Unification Observatory on land, felt much closer from the sea.

Fishermen's fishing was in full swing in the sea just in front of North Korea.

A fisherman I met at the low-lying fishing ground that day said, "I don't think the fishing will be very good today because the water isn't moving very much," but added, "But since it's a low-lying fishing ground, I went out with high expectations."

When asked if he was scared of fishing in waters close to North Korea, he answered, "The Coast Guard always protects us, and if there is a problem, we withdraw immediately, so we are fishing safely without any major problems."

Northern fishing grounds and low-lying fishing grounds are border waters established between the Northern Limit Line (NLL) and the fishing limit line.

For fishermen, it is a fishing site where they make a living, but it is also a sea in the midst of military tension between North and South Korea.

Fishing boats operate in designated sea areas under the safety management of the Coast Guard, Gangwon Province, Navy, and Army.

Communication with the naval vessel continued in the patrol boat's wheelhouse. The Coast Guard shared the situation with related agencies, including the Navy, confirmed the location of the fishing vessel and whether there were any abnormalities, and also inspected the safety management posture of each agency.

Sokcho Coast Guard Chief Shin Kyeong-jin said, “Ensuring the safety of fishing boats operating in waters near the fishing limit line is more important than anything else,” and added, “We conducted a joint inspection to check the implementation status of each relevant agency and see if there were any shortcomings.”

He then emphasized, "Considering the recent situation with North Korea, we have inspected the cooperation system and looked at the fishing situation," and added, "We will carry out thorough security activities to ensure that there are no gaps."