The confrontation took place in the disputed Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) after a South Korean research vessel, the Onnuri, approached facilities that Beijing has claimed are used for aquaculture, according to a report posted on Monday to the website Beyond Parallel, operated under the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
The PMZ is an interim area in the Yellow Sea where South Korea and China have overlapping claims relating to their exclusive economic zones (EEZs). Under a 2001 deal, the two sides agreed to allow their fishing vessels to operate in the area and jointly manage marine resources while banning any activities beyond navigation and fishing.
A report published by Beyond Parallel in June also detailed an incident stemming from China and South Korea tensions in the PMZ.
Citing Automatic Identification System data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, a New Zealand-based AI-powered platform for global maritime intelligence, the report said that Chinese coastguard vessel 6307 and two other vessels followed the Onnuri for about six hours after it entered the PMZ.
