Abstract
North and South Korea have clashed twice over their boundary in the Yellow (West) Sea. The issue is quite complicated, resulting from differences over the validity of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) and the appropriate maritime boundary, exacerbated by competition for valuable blue crab. This paper describes the incidents and the issues, analyzes the NLL and boundary disputes, and proposes possible solutions to this dangerous situation. Although the NLL is—or was—a useful temporary conflict avoidance device, treating it as a permanent maritime boundary is not supported by legal principles and precedents. Ways forward include creating a military-free joint fishing zone with an agreed code of conduct for fishing vessels operating there.
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