Over the past five years, more than 500 North Korean ghost ships have completed their journey to the shores of Japan. Most of them are fishing boats. Others were occupied by people fleeing North Korea across the Sea of Japan.
In 2019, no less than 150 boats ran aground in Japan, says NBC News . The authorities have been slow to understand the origins of the phenomenon. Many boats arrive on the coast with skeletons on board: the remains of passengers, who died of hunger and thirst while their boat drifted for months.
Waters stormed by Chinese ships
Besides the leaks and fishing, there is another explanation for the proliferation of these ghost boats. An investigation by NBC News has uncovered the existence of some 800 Chinese vessels, illegally fishing in North Korean waters. An area yet protected by the UN which prohibits this activity.
The scale of the hidden activity has reduced the local squid population by 70%, prompting local fishermen to venture into other areas to continue making a living. China, however, claims to "systematically punish" illegal fishing, the foreign minister said recently.
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