North Korea's Violation of Northern Limit Line (NLL)

The Northern Limit Line is a demarcation line on the West Sea between South and North Korean waters which was established in August 1953, by the U.N. Army Commander as the U.N. and North Korea failed to produce an agreement on a maritime border, due to differences (U.N. claimed 3 nautical mile while North Korea claimed 12 nautical miles) in the armistice negotiations.

Though officially Pyongyang ignored the NLL, declaring "12-nautical mile territorial waters" in March 1955, and then establishing "50-nautical mile military zone," it tacitly recognized the NLL.

But when Pyongyang needed to raise tension, the North Korea army violated the NLL deliberately. Especially, after declaring its disapproval of the DMZ in April 1996, their intrusion over the NLL took place more frequently.

Recently North Korean navy vessels have broken into the NLL in persuit of on North Korean and Chinese boats fishing south of the NLL.

The South Korean government has taken immediate and appropriate action against Pyongyang's violation of the NLL.

[ Records of North Korea's violation of the NLL on the West Sea since April 1996]

April 19, 1996: Two North Korean navy vessels on tactical training intruded 2 miles over the NLL.

May 11, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1 mile over the NLL while pursuing Chinese fishing boats.

May 23, 1996: Five North Korean navy vessels on tactical training intruded 4 miles over the NLL.

June 8, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 2.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of Chinese fishing boats.

June 14, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 4.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 15, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 2 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 18, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1.5 miles over the NLL.

June 20, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 2 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 23, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1 mile over the NLL.

June 27, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 0.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

July 4, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 3 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

July 5, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 2 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

July 9, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 5 miles over the NLL to seize Chinese fishing boats.

August 28, 1996: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 2.5 miles over the NLL to seize Chinese fishing boats.

May 29, 1997: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 4 miles over the NLL.

June 5, 1997: Three North Korean navy vessels intruded over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 8, 1997: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 0.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 17, 1997: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 2 miles over the NLL.

June 29, 1997: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

July 1, 1997: A North Korean navy vessel intruded over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

July 4, 1997: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 4.5 miles over the NLL to check a drifting vessel.

August 29, 1997: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 2.5 miles over the NLL to check a drifting vessel.

August 29, 1997: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 2 miles over the NLL.

September 8, 1997: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1 miles over the NLL to crackdown a vessel of unknown nationality.

February 25, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 0.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

May 22, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

May 27, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 2.7 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 1, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 0.1 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 4, 1998: Two North Korean navy vessels intruded 0.5 miles over the NLL to act against South Korea navy's pursuit of a vessel of unknown nationality.

June 5, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1 miles over the NLL in persuit of fishing boats.

June 10, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 11, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 12, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 13, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 0.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 14, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 0.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 15, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 16, 1998: Two North Korean navy vessels intruded 1.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 17, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 1.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.

June 18, 1998: A North Korean navy vessel intruded 0.5 miles over the NLL in persuit of North Korean fishing boats.