S. Korea to use drones, AI to track illegal Chinese trawlers

SEOUL • Chinese fishing is increasing security risks near South Korea's tense nautical border, said a top Cabinet member in Seoul, pledging to deploy advanced technology to crack down on illegal trawling.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Moon Seong-hyeok said in an interview that illegal fishing must be "completely eradicated", joining calls from across Asia to end what many see as Beijing's assertive push into regional waters.

South Korea has long complained about Chinese trawlers operating in the Yellow Sea - what Koreans call the West Sea - near its islands off the coast of North Korea.

"When it comes to illegal fishing, whether it be foreign or domestic vessels, we will crack down," Dr Moon told Bloomberg News last Friday, saying that South Korea will from next year step up its maritime surveillance using drones at sea and artificial intelligence.

South Korea, which lists the United States as its main military ally and China as its biggest trading partner, turned up the pressure on Beijing over the weekend when it won from Washington a termination of bilateral missile guidelines that have long restricted Seoul's development of missiles to under the range of 800km.

The move could put more major Chinese cities under South Korea's missile range.

Although Beijing denies any illegal activity, the United Nations Security Council said in a report that it suspected North Korea of selling hundreds of fishing permits a year to fleets from the likes of China to fish in the waters - in violation of international sanctions.

"No country thinks favourably of illegal fishing, and that includes China," Dr Moon said, adding that Seoul and Beijing have long discussed terms for their fishing conditions and have already reached agreement.

Chinese trawlers have fished near South Korea's waters for years, but tensions ratcheted up in 2011 when a fisherman on a Chinese vessel being apprehended by South Korea's coast guard stabbed to death a guard member.

South Korea's military did not immediately respond to a request for numbers on suspected illegal Chinese fishing but, last month, an average of 180 Chinese vessels were spotted daily near the maritime border with North Korea, three times more than a year ago, according to broadcaster KBS.

Beijing spooked Seoul in December by sending a warship past a self-imposed boundary near the South Korean island of Baengnyeong. It has been a key location for US allies in Seoul to spy on North Korea and now the island appears to be on China's radar.

Dr Moon also spoke about autonomous ships, concerns over Japan's plans to release into the sea treated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant and South Korea's hosting of an international summit on the environment known as P4G.

"The world must work together to achieve carbon neutrality. We are holding a special marine session for the P4G summit to create awareness on this issue," said Dr Moon.

"I'd like to also stress the importance of our maritime environment. The ocean is the largest absorber of greenhouse gases, and it's also a place that creates renewable energy."

On Fukushima, Dr Moon said: "Japan's decision can be seen as a unilateral decision without sufficient consultation with neighbouring countries. We will request Japan to disclose relevant information.

"Also, whether it's imported or domestic products, we will thoroughly conduct radioactivity tests. In addition, we will strengthen our labelling of the country of origin."

BLOOMBERG