The contrary opinions of South Korea and North on the Northern Limit Line-NLL- has caused them a lot of disputes, troubles and even the engagements which made kinds of wars in 1999, 2002 and 2004.

What is the NLL, the line set on the Yellow Sea in the west side of the Peninsula.

It was unilaterally set 30th Aug. in 1953 by U.S. Commander Mark Clark to prevent Lee Seungman administration of South Korea from provoking the war against North.



U.S.-led United Nations military forces and North Korea failed to reach an agreement about the cease-fire line on the sea while they make it on the lands and islands.

At that time, the anger and discontent of the Lee Seungman government was more seriously worried about U.S. Commander Mark Clark than the invasion from the North. That is why he named it Northern Limit Line but not Southern Limit Line.

The line runs between the mainland portion of Gyeonggi Province that had been part of Hwanghae before 1945, and the adjacent offshore islands, the largest of which is Baengnyeongdo. As a result, the mainland portion reverted to North Korean control, while the islands remained a part of South Korea.

There have been extream military risks on the Yellow Sea every June, the crab-fishing season. The large school of crabs giving fishers big income moves north and south in the season and the navy forces of South and North Korea run after the fishers of each running after the crabs over the NLL.

The Grand National Party and majour conservative media including Chosun, Donga and Munhwa advocate everyday that NLL should not be on the table of summit because it is S.Korean territorial line.

Lee Jaejung the Minister of Reunification, on ther ohter hand, insisted that the NLL is not related to the territory but security and it should be talked about reasonably by both Korea.

What the both President should talk about to control the military risk? Can they divide the crabs into the South and North too?