North Korean Patrol Boat Violated the NLL Again

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said a North Korean patrol boat committed a violation of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) around 11:37 a.m. on October 30 and retreated after warning shots by the South Korean navy.

According to the JCS, as the patrol boat sailed a half mile from the south of the NLL at the west of Eonpyongdo on the West Sea, a Korean corvette sailed to the area. After serving a warning and operating demonstration movements on the patrol boat, the corvette fired four naval bombs, 76 millimeter each, at it, landing about five miles from the patrol boat.

An official of the JCS said, “After the warning shots, the patrol boat proceeded north immediately, and there were no signs of the North Korean side doing anything about it,” and added, “The patrol boat is presumed to have come south on its way to supervise six Chinese fishing boats which were working illegally around the NLL nearby Eonpyongdo.” It is the fourth time that the patrol boat has violated the NLL this year.

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com