SKorean report: NKorea selling fishing rights to China

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL (AA) – North Korea has been raising much-needed funds by selling fishing rights off its east and west coasts to China, according to South Korean government sources cited by local media Thursday.

The North was already suspected to have been earning cash since 2004 by allowing Chinese fishermen to operate in its Yellow Sea maritime territory.

In June, the issue escalated when South Korea and the United Nations Command teamed up to launch an unprecedented mission clamping down on illegal fishing by Chinese crews in the Han River's estuary between the Koreas.

The South has long been on guard over incursions into its western maritime territory, where a number of deadly flashpoints have taken place involving both North Korean and Chinese vessels.

Now Pyongyang is said to have also sold rights to the east of the peninsula, with around 2,500 Chinese boats operating in North Korean waters.

"It has been confirmed that Pyongyang has rolled up its sleeves to earn foreign currency by selling the fishing rights in its waters to China. Our analysis shows it has sold the rights above the Northern Limit Line in the East Sea," a South Korean intelligence source was quoted as saying by news agency Yonhap.

According to the report, North Korea can make around $75 million annually by selling fishing rights, which has apparently been "propping up" the authoritarian rule of leader Kim Jong-un.
Pyongyang was hit by strengthened U.N. sanctions in March amid its continued development of nuclear weapons.

China has been supportive of the punitive measures, while also bolstering cooperation with its long-time ally North Korea.