The South Korea–Russia–Japan fisheries imbroglio

This paper chronicles and analyzes the political dispute that resulted when Russia gave South Korea permission to fish for saury in the Kurile area disputed by Russia and Japan. The dispute became a three-sided diplomatic wrangle and threatened to disrupt relations between the countries involved. In the resolution of the dispute, each side gained and lost both politically and economically. Given the difficult political relations in Northeast Asia, fisheries policy makers should consider the international political ramifications of their decisions.