Eight Chinese nationals caught trying to illegally enter South Korea by boat
South Korea’s Coast Guard apprehended eight Chinese nationals attempting to enter the country illegally by boat in the early hours of October 6, authorities reported, according to 24brussels. The group was intercepted after an unidentified vessel was detected off the country’s west coast late the previous night.
The alert was received at 11:38 PM on Sunday, and the boat was captured around 1:43 AM on Monday, approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Gauido Island. The small leisure craft carrying all eight individuals was subsequently towed to a port in Taean County, South Chungcheong Province. During the operation, one passenger attempted to flee by jumping into the sea but was promptly rescued.
The Coast Guard reported that the group departed from Weihai in eastern Shandong Province around 10 AM on Sunday, having traveled approximately 300 km west of South Korea’s coastline. They intended to enter the country illegally to seek employment, disguising themselves as anglers by bringing four fishing rods, food, and water onboard.
Authorities plan to pursue arrest warrants for the eight individuals on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act. This incident occurs against a backdrop of increasing regional anxiety regarding China’s maritime operations, particularly its alleged use of civilian vessels for strategic ends.
In related news, Taipei Times reported that Chinese ships have been sending out false signals in Taiwan’s territorial waters. This tactic, identified as cognitive warfare, is intended to assess Taiwan’s reactions to various maritime intrusions. The report highlighted how several Chinese fishing vessels broadcast counterfeit automatic identification system (AIS) signals, with one mimicking a Russian warship and another posing as a Chinese law enforcement vessel. Data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence revealed that throughout August and September, the Chinese fishing boat Min Shi Yu 06718 navigated through the Taiwan Strait while intermittently transmitting both its own AIS and that of another vessel named Hai Xun 15012, further escalating concerns in the region.
