A Korean fishing vessel was captured by the Fisheries Agency while trying to escape in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
On the 21st, according to the Kyushu Fisheries Adjustment Office under the Japan Fisheries Agency, a Japanese patrol vessel discovered a Korean fishing boat about 360 kilometers northwest of Iheya Island in Okinawa Prefecture the night before.
The patrol vessel ordered the ship to stop for inspection, but the vessel refused the order and fled. As a result, the Fisheries Agency captured the ship and arrested the captain as a criminal in the act. The vessel, with a total tonnage of 37 tons, had nine people on board, including the captain.
Yomiuri Shimbun reported, "It is the first time a Korean fishing vessel has been captured by the Japan Fisheries Agency since December 2023."
The Southern Coast Fisheries Management Division is investigating the details of the incident. It is reported that the ship could be released by providing collateral of between 30 million and 50 million won.