Diplomatic row over deadly incident feared amid growing public outrage



President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday instructed his government to draw up “strong and effective measures” to prevent a recurrence of Monday’s violent clash with illegal Chinese fishermen that killed a Korea Coast Guard officer.

The instruction came amid mounting calls for Seoul to sternly handle the incident, which observers said could escalate into a diplomatic row ahead of the 20th anniversary of South Korea-China diplomatic relations in 2012.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Liu Weimin expressed “regret” as public outrage here mounted after Beijing did not immediately apologize for the death of 41-year-old Lee Cheong-ho.

Some denounced Seoul’s “lukewarm” stance toward China, calling on the government to employ stringent punitive measures to ward off illegal fishing in South Korean waters.

“Even if we have to prepare a special budget, (we should) draw up strong measures through increasing equipment and personnel to crack down on illegal fishing so that we can prevent the repeat of such an unfortunate event,” Lee was quoted by his spokesperson as saying during the Cabinet meeting.

“We should, on this occasion, draw up fundamental measures through consultations among related ministries.”

A senior Cheong Wa Dae official indicated that the incident and Beijing’s response to it could be linked to Lee’s plan to visit China early next year.

“How the situation develops over the killing could affect Lee’s schedule to visit China early next year. This is an incident that should be dealt with sternly and cold-heartedly,” the official said, declining to be named.

The captain of the 66-ton fishing vessel is purported to have killed Lee with a knife as he and other officers tried to seize the boat some 85 kilometers southwest of Socheongdo at around 7 a.m. Another KCG officer was also stabbed, but is not in a critical condition.

Lee is the second KCG officer to be killed by Chinese operating illegally in South Korean waters. The first was slain in September 2008 when a Chinese fisherman hit him in the head with a shovel.

KCG was to seek an arrest warrant for the 42-year-old captain on charges including murder and obstruction of official duties. It also planned to seek warrants for the remaining eight sailors on charges of obstructing official duties.

The captain denies the charges, but KCG is confident that it has enough evidence to substantiate them.

KCG plans to hold a send-off ceremony for Lee at a KCG pier in Incheon at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. He will be laid to rest at Daejeon National Cemetery.

The government will craft a “comprehensive package of programs” to deal with illegal fishing and implement them as early as possible, officials said.

“We will analyze the reasons why it is hard to stop Chinese fishermen’s illegal fishing and their violent behavior and seek solutions in close consultation with the Beijing government,” Lim Jong-ryong, minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, told reporters.

Lee’s tragic death sparked criticism over Seoul’s hitherto “weak, passive diplomacy” toward China. Similar criticism was hurled when Beijing backed North Korea after the belligerent state conducted two attacks last year that killed 50 South Koreans.

Observers said Seoul has so far been hesitant to strongly respond to past similar cases of illicit Chinese fishermen as it fears that a diplomatic spat with China may hamper bilateral coordination on a variety of pending issues including the handling of North Korean refugees in China.

Kang Jun-young, political economy professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said that Seoul should take a “clear, strong” action when it comes to a violation of the Korean law, so as not to create any misunderstandings between the two countries.

“As China has a strong leverage and influence over North Korea and it has strong economic relations with the South, (the Seoul government) apparently seeks to avoid possible conflicts with China. But we should separate these issues from the incident,” said Kang.

“We should clearly resolve this issue. If we just leave them unresolved, this would only add to misunderstandings between the two. Our stern action in this case would not affect the relations with China that much as it is allowed under international law as it was a challenge to South Korea’s governmental authority.”

Shin Sang-jin, international cooperation professor at Kwangwoon University, said that unless China crafts effective measures to help the livelihoods of its fishermen, such cases are likely to be repeated.

“As its coastal areas are polluted, with little fish, Chinese fishermen keep venturing into South Korean waters. China should introduce fundamental measures so that they don’t have to come all the way into the risky waters,” he said.

“On the part of South Korea, it has to sternly crack down on and punish illegal fishermen to give them a strong message that they will face harsh punishment rather than getting fish and making money.”

Political circles called for China’s official apology a day after the incident as criticism mounts that it paid little attention to it as they were engrossed in internal affairs to turn the political tide in their favor ahead of general elections next year.

“We issue our stern call for the Chinese government to send a contingent to offer its condolences and respectful solace to the bereaved family, and issue an official apology,” said Rep. Hwang Young-cheul, spokesperson for the ruling Grand National Party.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)