A fishing vessel that illegally discharged ship oil into the sea off Mokpo has been caught by the Coast Guard.
The Mokpo Coast Guard announced that on July 2, it detected fishing vessel A (9.77 tons, coastal gillnet) at the Namhang Pier in Mokpo for illegally discharging bilge water into the sea.
Vessel A is suspected of using an automatic bilge pump installed in the engine room to illegally discharge bilge water?an oily mixture that accumulates at the bottom of ships?into the sea.
According to current law, anyone who intentionally discharges oil into the sea may face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won.
A Mokpo Coast Guard official stated, "The act of illegally discharging oil or pollutants into the sea is a crime that seriously damages the marine environment," and added, "We plan to eradicate illegal activities through continuous monitoring and enforcement going forward."
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