South Korea's Coast Guard said Wednesday that it has sought warrants for two Chinese fishermen on charges of illegally fishing in South Korean waters and violently resisting a crackdown by the Coast Guard that resulted in the death of a Chinese skipper.
Dozens of Chinese fishermen resisted violently with knives and beer bottles during the crackdown in waters 144 kilometers off South Korea's western coast on Friday, according to the South Korean Coast Guard.
A South Korean Coast Guard officer fired shots from a K-5 pistol as warnings, but one of the shots hit the Chinese captain, the Coast Guard said, adding that the shots were not specifically aimed at him. South Korean officers were also injured during the crackdown, though to what degree is not known.
In addition to three fishermen detained to face questioning, the Coast Guard in the coastal city of Mokpo, 410 kilometers south of Seoul, said it has asked a district court to issue warrants for two others for suspected obstruction of justice.
The Coast Guard said it is still questioning 13 other fisherman for their alleged usage of violence against officers during the raid.
Of the 18 fishermen under investigation, the Coast Guard said it has proved violence committed by five people aboard the same ship that carried the deceased captain.
Chinese fishing boats often cross into South Korean waters in the Yellow Sea in search of abundant fish stock, regularly leading to violence by Chinese crews during raids by the South Korean Coast Guard.
In 2011, a South Korean Coast Guard officer was killed by Chinese fishermen during a raid against illegal fishing in South Korean waters.
The Coast Guard arrested 183 Chinese fishermen in 2013 over illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea. (Yonhap)
