North Korean and Japanese Boats Collide in the Sea of Japan
A collision off the Noto Peninsula throws twenty North Korean fishermen into the Sea of Japan.
A Japanese boat collided with a North Korean fishing vessel northwest of the Noto Peninsula on Monday, at 9:10 AM Japan Standard Time. According to the Japanese Coast Guard, the collision threw 20 North Korean crew members into the water, whom the Japanese Fisheries Agency was trying to rescue. A Japanese patrol boat is currently investigating the incident.
North Korean Tension
Kim Jong Un’s nationals regularly use wooden boats for fishing in the area. This has sometimes led crews into conflict in a sea that borders Russia, South Korea, and Japan. In turn, this has led to frequent fishing rights disputes. Just a few days ago, Russia detained a crew of 21 North Koreans; they accused the foreigners of poaching and using illicit drift nets in the zone.
