Off the coast of Taean, South Chungcheong, a Chinese national rode a rubber boat into Korea's territorial waters and was caught by the Korea Coast Guard. A fishing vessel at work spotted the suspicious boat and reported it, leading to an emergency arrest.
According to the Taean Maritime Police Station on the 26th, at about 9:36 p.m. on the 25th, a suspicious rubber boat was found about 18 kilometers northwest of Seogyeokbido, Taean County, South Chungcheong. The location was about 3.6 kilometers inside Korea's territorial sea line.
The rubber boat was discovered by the captain of the 20-ton coastal gillnetter A and reported to the National Fisheries Safety and Operation Bureau. After receiving the report, the Korea Coast Guard dispatched a patrol vessel to the scene.
The discovered rubber boat was about 3.3 meters long, was equipped with a 9.9-horsepower engine, and had one Chinese man on board.
The Korea Coast Guard arrived at the scene about 1 hour and 5 minutes after receiving the report and urgently arrested the Chinese national, identified as B, who was on the boat. A remained near the rubber boat and kept watch until the Korea Coast Guard arrived.
The Korea Coast Guard booked B on suspicion of violating the Immigration Act and is investigating how and why he entered the territorial waters.