A derelict wooden vessel discovered on the coast of Udo Island, Jeju, on Wednesday has been identified as a North Korean fishing boat. Investigators found no evidence of espionage or security threats.
The Coast Guard and local police reported receiving a call about the abandoned boat at approximately 9:40 a.m. (South Korean time) on the shoreline of Udo, a small island off Jeju’s coast.
The vessel measures roughly 4 meters (about 13 ft) in length and 1 meter (about 3.2 ft) in width, bearing similarities to previously discovered boats in the area.
A joint task force, comprising members from the Coast Guard, police, military, and National Intelligence Service, concluded after thorough examination that the boat posed no security risk.
Investigators determined that the vessel’s extensive damage and lack of propulsion system were inconsistent with infiltration attempts, leading them to classify it as a civilian auxiliary fishing boat.
Analysis of ocean currents by the Coast Guard suggests that the boat likely drifted to Udo due to rough seas earlier this month.
A palm-sized scrap of paper, initially thought to be from North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun, was found in a crevice at the stern. Further investigation revealed it to be from a different North Korean publication.
The paper fragment bore the term Juche, North Korea’s unique calendar system. However, severe damage and its small size made it impossible to decipher any specific content.
This incident marks the fourth occurrence of an unidentified abandoned vessel washing up on Jeju’s shores.
Previous cases include discoveries on December 30, 2025, in Sindori, Seogwipo; January 12 in Woljeong-ri; and January 29 in Hagwi 2-ri. Authorities deemed all three earlier vessels to be of Chinese origin with low criminal risk, unrelated to North Korea.
