Asia 861
MID#1347
Dispute Number: 1347
Date(s): January 10, 1958 to January 29, 1964
Participants: 732 South Korea/740 Japan
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: This dispute describes a series of seizures by South Korea, targeting Japa-
nese fishing vessels. The seizures were numerous as Japanese fishing vessels protested
South Korea’s institution of the Syngman Rhee Line that declared an expansive set of
territorial waters designed to protect Korean marine resources. Note that the following
is an abridged list of incidents:
On January 10, 1958, South Korea seized Japanese fishing boats through Febru-
ary 12, 1959. On February 14, South Korea was greatly angered by Japans plan to
repatriate Koreans in Japan to North Korea. The South Korean government hinted
that it might intercept the transport ships. No specific threat was made, and there is no
evidence that the South Koreans put their military on alert.
On June 11, South Korea warned Japan that it had suspended permits between
the two countries due to a Japanese agreement with North Korea. On November 15,
a South Korean patrol boat fired on a Japanese fishing vessel inside of the disputed
waters claimed by South Korea.
On February 12, 1960, a Japanese fishing boat was sunk, and its crew was seized.
On March 7, Japan lodged its second protest, demanded an apology, the return of the
captured crew, and compensation for the damage.
On May 8, a South Korean patrol boat fired on two Japanese fishing boats. On
November 2, there was a small arms attack on a Japanese boat.
On August 22, 1961, a 99-ton Japanese fishing boat and its crew of 14 were seized
by a South Korean patrol boat in the Japan Sea near the Rhee Line. South Korea
claims this to be the limit of their territorial waters and Japan does not recognize this
line. This was the seventh seizure of this kind since January.
On October 29, a South Korean patrol boat fired on and captured a Japanese fishing
boat within Japanese territorial waters. This was reported to have been the 12th South
Korean seizure of a Japanese fishing boat since January.
On January 15, 1962, a South Korean patrol boat fired on a Japanese patrol boat.
The Korea boat chased the Japanese boat for an hour and a half, but there were no
casualties.
On May 13, the South Korean Navy seized three Japanese fishing boats for violat-
ing territorial waters.
On October 15, two South Korean patrol boats seized a Japanese fishing vessel,
the Shotoku Maru. On June 19, South Korea released 42 captured Japanese fishermen
and five detained vessels. All had recently been seized for trespassing South Koreas
fishing demarcation line. South Korea hoped this would normalize relations between
the two countries.
On September 27, 1963, Japan protested the South Korean seizure of the Japanese
fishing boat, Number One Fukuho Maru, and its 34 crew members which occurred
that same morning.