Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- South Korea warned of an "extraordinary" decision if there is no deal on fishing quotas with Japan by the end of this month as negotiations remained bogged down amid lingering concerns over radioactive contamination.

Under a bilateral fisheries agreement that took effect in 1999, South Korea and Japan have set annual fishing quotas in each other's exclusive economic zones (EEZ). There was no agreement in 2016 after South Korea rejected Japan's demands to resume imports of seafood caught in waters near Fukushima.

"We have set a deadline for working-level negotiations on the fisheries agreement by April," Oceans and Fisheries Minister Kim Young-choon told reporters, warning South Korea could take an "extraordinary" decision if both sides failed to work out an agreement by the end of April. 

Seoul insisted that fishing quotas and import restrictions are separate issues, while Japan insisted on a reduced catch of swordfish in its waters. The two sides have failed to narrow differences for nearly two years.

South Korean environmental groups and fishermen have called for a continued ban on fish caught from eight prefectures near Fukushima, reflecting lingering safety jitters caused by Japan's 2011 nuclear meltdown.

The dispute settlement panel of the World Trade Organization ruled in favor of Japan in October last year, but South Korea vowed to appeal. Kim admitted South Korea's ban on Japanese seafood has apparently affected negotiations on revising a fisheries agreement. He warned that South Korea will take a different stance in May after declaring the breakdown of negotiations.