S. Korean officer hit with shovel by Chinese fisherman: officials

MOKPO, South Korea, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean officer found dead after a clash with illegal Chinese fishermen was hit with a shovel before falling into water, investigators said Saturday.

Citing video footage of the Thursday clash between Chinese sailors and South
Korean coast guards, the investigators said 48-year-old Park Kyong-mo was smacked
in the head with a shovel immediately after he stepped onto the Chinese boat.
Park went missing following the incident involving the 50-ton Chinese boat
carrying 11 fishermen, and his body was found floating off the southwestern coast
a day later with a rope around his neck.
The authorities in the port city of Mokpo, about 360 kilometers south of Seoul,
said they arrested nine of the fishermen and could likely raise homicide charges.
The other two Chinese sailors were set to arrive at the port later Saturday.
Chinese boats are routinely caught fishing in South Korean water, with experts
saying the level of violence has recently spiked in clashes between Chinese
fishermen and South Korean officers.