End China's illegal fishing

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday lashed out at Chinese fishermen engaged in illegal fishing in Korea’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Sea, calling the practice “really bad” and warranting harsher action by the Korea Coast Guard. Speaking at a policy briefing at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in Busan, Lee ordered the Coast Guard to take unprecedentedly tough measures during crackdowns on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. “I told you last time to seize as many Chinese vessels engaged in illegal fishing in the West Sea as possible. How did that go?” Lee asked Jang In-sik, the acting commissioner general of the Korea Coast Guard. Jang replied that 56 Chinese vessels have been seized so far. Lee then instructed the Coast Guard to take all possible measures to combat China’s illegal fishing. “Chinese fishermen are said to raise money among themselves to help colleagues who have been caught by the Korea Coast Guard pay fines imposed by the Korean government,” Lee said. “We should consider raising the fines to a level that cannot be covered