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[Financial News] Military, coast guard, and civilian fishing boats are taking part in the search operation to rescue a Navy soldier who went missing in the northernmost part of the East Sea. Because the area where the soldier disappeared is close to North Korea, the South Korean military is also closely monitoring North Korean movements.
According to military authorities on the 12th, North Korea was also notified of the missing Navy soldier through the international maritime communication network, which it can receive. The Navy said, "At around 50 kilometers east of Geojin in the East Sea this morning, one Navy crew member on patrol duty went missing while serving aboard a warship." The missing soldier is a private first class, and the vessel is believed to be a frigate.
The area where the Navy soldier went missing is in the open waters east of the front-line maritime zone near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the Northern Limit Line (NLL). It is a key area where South Korean Navy vessels routinely carry out patrol and guard missions to monitor North Korean provocations and maritime conditions.
It is located about 50 kilometers east of Geojin Port in Goseong County, the northernmost part of Gangwon State. The area is said to be within the Republic of Korea's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), outside territorial waters of 12 nautical miles, or about 22 kilometers. It is a major fishing outpost in the northern East Sea, north of the 38th parallel.
The Navy and the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) have jointly dispatched vessels and aircraft and are carrying out emergency search and rescue operations centered on the accident area.
The Navy said, "We are currently searching for the missing person by deploying vessels and aircraft in joint operations with the coast guard." It added, "We have also informed fishing boats and nearby merchant vessels operating in the area and asked for their cooperation in the search." Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back also instructed the military to "do everything possible to rescue the missing person as quickly and safely as possible, and maintain close coordination with relevant agencies such as the coast guard."
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo reporter


rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter