Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Chinese Skipper

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Cheng Dawei, a Chinese skipper accused of fatally stabbing Korean Coast Guard sergeant Lee Cheong-ho during a raid on trawlers that were illegally fishing in Korean waters in December.

Prosecutors also called for a three-year jail sentence for eight other crewmembers who were arrested for trying to prevent the Coast Guard from boarding their vessel by use of weapons.

The Incheon District Prosecutors' Office on Tuesday said, "Given that Cheng's killing was carried out in a planned manner, that he has not offered any compensation for the victim, and that the victim's family wants the convicted to be strictly punished according to the law, a severe punishment is inevitable."

"The crimes committed by the accused were a major challenge to the power of the state that was being justly exercised. Their acts also had a severe impact on Korean society, and they need to be punished accordingly," it added.