South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Monday that North Korea may have sold fishing rights to Chinese boats illegally operating in the neutral waters near the inter-Korea border. The North, meanwhile, has remained mum on Seoul’s recent crackdown in the area for the fourth straight day. 

Seoul and the U.N. Command launched a military police team to root out the illegal fishing in neutral waters around the Hangang River estuary on Friday. The military has been keeping a keen eye on the North, over concerns the operation may provoke Pyongyang, given recent inter-Korea tensions.

But the usually outspoken Pyongyang has been quiet on the first military operation in the area that has been free of authorities from either of the Koreas since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice.

“We cannot conclusively say what is the intent behind the North’s silence, but we do believe that the speculations on the fishing rights (being sold to China) is plausible,” said ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun.

He confirmed that the communist state has yet to comment on the operation, and said that military is on constant alert for any provocations from Pyongyang.

Hours after Seoul and the UNC jointly commenced the operation, some 10 Chinese fishing boats spotted to have been illegally fishing in the neutral waters had moved to waters near the North Korean shores on the opposite side. 

The armistice agreement prohibits either South or North Korea from approaching within 100 meters of each other’s shores. The boats had since been staying there until moving out of the river mouth Monday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The JCS said it is continuing the lookout in case of additional invasion by the boats.

The armistice agreement states that the area extended from the Military Demarcation Line to the Northern Limit Line -- effectively the land and maritime borders between the Koreas -- is considered neutral waters. Any vessel wishing to enter the area must be registered with either Korea’s authorities.

While the agreement stipulates each side can operate a force of “no more than four patrol boats for the civil police and not more than 24 civil police” in the area, such practice has not been carried out due to the sensitivity of inter-Korea relations. 

But the South Korean government acknowledged there are limits to using only diplomatic means to curb the illegal fishing by the Chinese. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries announced last week that the country’s crab catch as of April plunged 68.5 percent on-year to 664 tons.

The main opposition The Minjoo Party of Korea said via a statement that the government is only halfheartedly trying to drive out the illegal fishing boats, pointing out that the much larger illegal fishing near the waters off the five northernmost islands in the West Sea remains unchecked.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)