Media: S. Korea, Japanese patrol boats in confrontation over EEZ

SEOUL, May 16 (Xinhua) -- South Korean and Japanese patrol boats on Friday confronted each other over a South Korean fishing boat alleged to have violated Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

The confrontation occurred in the sea 17 miles south of Hongdo, an island off South Korea's southwest coast, between four Japanese patrol boats and six South Korean patrol boats, including a 1,500-ton vessel, and one helicopter Friday afternoon, South Korea's coast guard officials told Yonhap.

The Japanese patrol boats alleged that a 134-ton South Korean fishing boat was in Japan's EEZ earlier Friday, the coast guard said.

The South Korean coast guard said the South Korean patrol boats arrived at the water after receiving a call at around 11:55 a.m.(0255 GMT) from a skipper stating that the fishing boat was being chased by the Japanese patrol boat.

There were no reports on further conflict between the two sides.