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Korea and China Agree to Strengthen Cooperation to Eradicate Illegal Fishing Activities
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Date
2026.07.30.
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72
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Korea and China Agree to Strengthen Cooperation to Eradicate Illegal Fishing Activities
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Hwang Jong-woo) and the China Coast Guard held the 2026 Korea-China Fisheries Enforcement Working Meeting in Dalian, China from Tuesday, June 23 to Thursday, June 25. The two countries agreed to strengthen bilateral enforcement cooperation to eradicate illegal fishing in the waters covered by the Korea-China Fisheries Agreement and to ensure the sustainable use of fishery resources.
* Chief Representative: (Korea) Director of Guidance and Negotiation, MOF; (China) Director General of Administrative Law Enforcement, China Coast Guard
First, MOF expressed serious concern over the increasingly advanced and sophisticated illegal fishing practices* of Chinese fishing vessels and urged China to take self-directed measures including strengthening internal enforcement within Chinese ports and harbors and enhancing the monitoring of vessels suspected of illegal fishing. In response, China promised to strengthen its own enforcement within Chinese ports and harbors based on the evidence provided by Korea, and to provide prompt responses regarding the results of its enforcement actions.
* Collective illegal fishing using small high-speed boats, hit-and-run-style fishing near specific waters, etc.
In addition, MOF presented improvement measures to the current system to strengthen enforcement against illegal Chinese fishing vessels and demanded their implementation. The Ministry proposed amending regulations to allow domestic punishment solely by transferring the relevant documents for the efficient handling of the handover of seriously offending vessels*. It also urged the establishment of regulations to crack down on the modification of secret fish holds for concealing catches, as well as the theft and illegal manipulation of AIS (Automatic Identification System). The two countries agreed to continue discussing these matters at the 26th Korea-China Joint Fisheries Committee Meeting scheduled for fall this year.
* Unauthorized fishing, fishing in violation of territorial waters or specific prohibited zones, obstruction of official duties
Furthermore, both sides agreed that a joint response is essential to eradicate illegal fishing in the waters covered by the Fisheries Agreement. Accordingly, they agreed to conduct a joint patrol participated in by Korean fisheries inspection vessels and Chinese coast guard vessels for approximately 10 days in early October this year, extending up to 20 nautical miles from the eastern and western boundary lines of the Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone. In particular, enforcement officials from both countries will board each other's enforcement vessels during the joint patrol period to enhance mutual understanding of enforcement methods.
"This agreement to resume joint patrols is a manifestation of the two countries’ willingness to cooperate in maintaining the order of fishing operations within the agreement waters. We will continue to cooperate with the Chinese government to eradicate illegal fishing and establish orderly fishing operations in the future,” said Kim In-kyung, Director General of Fisheries Resources Policy at MOF.
- Agreed to review revisions to regulations to strengthen supervision and enforcement and to conduct joint patrols
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Hwang Jong-woo) and the China Coast Guard held the 2026 Korea-China Fisheries Enforcement Working Meeting in Dalian, China from Tuesday, June 23 to Thursday, June 25. The two countries agreed to strengthen bilateral enforcement cooperation to eradicate illegal fishing in the waters covered by the Korea-China Fisheries Agreement and to ensure the sustainable use of fishery resources.
* Chief Representative: (Korea) Director of Guidance and Negotiation, MOF; (China) Director General of Administrative Law Enforcement, China Coast Guard
First, MOF expressed serious concern over the increasingly advanced and sophisticated illegal fishing practices* of Chinese fishing vessels and urged China to take self-directed measures including strengthening internal enforcement within Chinese ports and harbors and enhancing the monitoring of vessels suspected of illegal fishing. In response, China promised to strengthen its own enforcement within Chinese ports and harbors based on the evidence provided by Korea, and to provide prompt responses regarding the results of its enforcement actions.
* Collective illegal fishing using small high-speed boats, hit-and-run-style fishing near specific waters, etc.
In addition, MOF presented improvement measures to the current system to strengthen enforcement against illegal Chinese fishing vessels and demanded their implementation. The Ministry proposed amending regulations to allow domestic punishment solely by transferring the relevant documents for the efficient handling of the handover of seriously offending vessels*. It also urged the establishment of regulations to crack down on the modification of secret fish holds for concealing catches, as well as the theft and illegal manipulation of AIS (Automatic Identification System). The two countries agreed to continue discussing these matters at the 26th Korea-China Joint Fisheries Committee Meeting scheduled for fall this year.
* Unauthorized fishing, fishing in violation of territorial waters or specific prohibited zones, obstruction of official duties
Furthermore, both sides agreed that a joint response is essential to eradicate illegal fishing in the waters covered by the Fisheries Agreement. Accordingly, they agreed to conduct a joint patrol participated in by Korean fisheries inspection vessels and Chinese coast guard vessels for approximately 10 days in early October this year, extending up to 20 nautical miles from the eastern and western boundary lines of the Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone. In particular, enforcement officials from both countries will board each other's enforcement vessels during the joint patrol period to enhance mutual understanding of enforcement methods.
"This agreement to resume joint patrols is a manifestation of the two countries’ willingness to cooperate in maintaining the order of fishing operations within the agreement waters. We will continue to cooperate with the Chinese government to eradicate illegal fishing and establish orderly fishing operations in the future,” said Kim In-kyung, Director General of Fisheries Resources Policy at MOF.
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