According to local news source Chinese fishing boats have recently moved out of North Korean waters in the West Sea. The boats vanished last month and over 50 of them abruptly left the area on the afternoon of Feb. 4. This is giving rise to speculation that the North is planning some kind of military action in the area. The South Korean Defense Ministry on Wednesday denied this had to do with impending military action by the North.
Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae told the claims that Chinese fishing boats moved out of the sea near the NLL prior to the two previous inter-Korean naval skirmishes has been proven groundless. He added that both the 1999 and 2002 naval clashes took place off Yeonpyeong Island, and Chinese trawlers were fishing off nearby Baekryeong Island on both occasions.
It was back in 2003 when the Chinese started fishing near the de-facto maritime border, and Chinese fishing boats have since abruptly left the area twice although there was no North Korean military provocation. Shandong Province fishing authorities in a homepage notice on Jan. 23 reportedly called for caution in fishing near the NLL, and recently sent skippers a radio message of that effect. It is said that military authorities of China are closely watching North Korean military moves against possible launching of short-range surface-to-ship or surface-to-surface missiles across the NLL or even a third naval skirmish on or around Feb. 16, the birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
